When Asaph observed the prosperity of the wicked, envy was stirred up within him. Unscrupulous men would boast about the wealth that they had accumulated by fraudulent means. Despite their lawlessness, things seemed to go very well for them. Outward appearances gave every indication that they were enjoying peace and security. In fact, despite their vile way of life, ‘they had no deathly pangs’; even their life appeared to come to a peaceful end, without horrible pangs of death. They had enough food, and no particular health problems interfered with their enjoyment of meals. Their eyes were not sunken from lack of nourishment but “bulged from fatness.” These men shamelessly continued in their wicked ways. Their arrogance or haughtiness was like an ornament to them, “a necklace.” So many were their violent deeds that they were ‘covered with them as with a garment.’ At all times they were dressed in violence. Being successful in their unrighteous scheming, they ‘surpassed the imaginations of their hearts.’ This encouraged them to speak about their fraudulent practices “in an elevated style,” in an arrogant manner. ‘They would put their mouths in the heavens and their tongue would walk about in the earth.’ No regard did they have for anyone in heaven or on earth. Their tongue was left unbridled, and their mouths spewed forth what their tongue pleased.

5. How do the words of Psalm 73:10, 11 show that Asaph was not alone in being adversely affected by seeing the wicked getting by with lawlessness?

⁵ Asaph apparently was not alone in being adversely affected by what he witnessed. He goes on to say: “Therefore he brings his people back hither, and the waters of what is full are drained out for them. And they have said: ‘How has God come to know? And does there exist knowledge in the Most High?’” (Ps. 73:10, 11) When thinking about the way in which the wicked appear to get by with their lawlessness, the righteous find this very disturbing. They cannot put it out of their mind. Again and again they return to it. The effect on them is comparable to their having to drink a bitter potion. This moves them to ask: ‘How can God tolerate these things? Does he not see what is going on?’b

6. What caused Asaph to think that serving Jehovah was in vain?

⁶ Comparing his own lot with the prosperous condition of the wicked, Asaph exclaimed: “Surely it is in vain that I have cleansed my heart and that I wash my hands in innocence itself. And I came to be plagued all day long, and my correction is every morning.” (Ps. 73:12-14) Thus the psalmist actually began to think that it was useless to lead an upright life. While the wicked were enjoying prosperity, he was plagued constantly. He felt that God was correcting or reproving him every morning. The wicked, however, appeared to be getting by with the grossest of wrongdoing.

7. What shows that the psalmist recognized the wrongness of viewing service to God as being futile?

⁷ Nevertheless, Asaph realized that it was wrong for him to give in to such thinking. He said: “Had I let myself talk on in this fashion, I should have betrayed the family of God. So I set myself to think this out but I found it too hard for me.” (Ps. 73:15, 16, The New English Bible) Yes, the psalmist recognized that his viewing service to God as vain would actually mean his being disloyal to the faithful ones. Then, too, his giving way to public expression of doubt could have undermined the faith of some. Though he tried to straighten out his thinking, Asaph simply could not reconcile how the wicked could get by with their wrongdoing, while righteous persons were suffering.

The seeming prosperity of the wicked is but temporary. Because their life centers solely around corruptible material possessions, they are standing “on slippery ground” and are in constant danger of experiencing a terrible crash, suddenly and without warning. At the latest, death will overtake them in old age, and their ill-gotten gain will be of no value in securing for them a longer life. (Ps. 49:6-12) Their prosperity will be like a dream that quickly passes. It may even be that justice will catch up with them long before they reach old age. The unchangeable law of God may go into effect against them: “Whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7) Since they have turned their backs on the Most High, the only One who could help them, the full impact of the disaster comes crashing down on them. They are left completely helpless, without hope and comfort. When Jehovah thus arouses himself against them, he will view their “image,” their pomp and position, with contempt, as something worthless.

10. In connection with the seeming success of the wicked, what should we keep in mind regarding God’s purpose?

¹⁰ Therefore, during the time that injustice, lawlessness and oppression seem to be flourishing, we must never forget that the wicked are not really getting away with anything. Jehovah God is taking note of what is happening, and he is allowing matters to work out in harmony with his grand purpose. At times, when individuals take a wrong course and experience suffering as a result, they come to their senses and turn to the Creator in sincere repentance. (2 Pet. 3:9) On the other hand, if they harden themselves in their evil ways, it becomes clear to all observers that the execution of God’s judgment against them is justified, completely righteous.​—Compare Romans 9:14-24.

11. What viewpoint of time will aid us to wait patiently on Jehovah God to rectify injustices?

¹¹ To us, it may seem that it takes a long time for justice to be executed against those who merit punishment. But it is a very short time in the sight of the eternal God. The Bible says: “A thousand years are in your eyes but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch during the night.” (Ps. 90:4) How long does yesterday seem to you today? Perhaps you did have a trying day, and it may have seemed that the day would never end. Now that it is over, does it not appear as if that day hardly existed? To the Creator, a thousand years are like this, in fact, even as brief as a four-hour watch during the night. Hence, the human life-span of but 70 or 80 years is virtually nonexistent in God’s sight. “We have finished our years just like a whisper,” wrote the prophet Moses. (Ps. 90:9) Yes, our brief life-span may be compared to a breath that passes our lips in a whisper. When we consider that Jehovah God promises to give his loyal servants an eternity of happy living in peace and security, even a lifetime of extreme suffering is nothing at all. This viewpoint can help us to be patient when we are troubled by having to face injustice, oppression and favoritism.