Psalms 73 and 74: With Psalm 73, I've reached Book III of the Psalms, and what some scholars say is the theological turning point. McCann says this wisdom psalm is a microcosm of Old Testament theology, explaining how God's people can remain faithful despite pain and suffering. The psalmist concludes that being in God's presence will guide understanding amidst sin (v. 16.) Brueggemann says this psalm marks a transition from simple faith in the first psalm, to recognizing that a relationship with God overshadows all concerns.
Until now, the psalmist has been concerned with God not being available with laments like: why do you hide your face from me? Now the page has turned, the light has come on and the psalmist realizes the flip side of the relationship: choosing to be near God. "But it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge to tell of your works." (73: 28).
And one more note: We may be halfway there theologically, and we're nearly halfway there numerically, although the long psalms are still ahead.
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In Psalm 73, there is no hint of prosperity theology – “the prosperity of the wicked,” “Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.” The link of prosperity to righteousness is not what it is all about. The psalmist struggles with this until she realizes that it is her ignorance of God’s plan that leads her to be annoyed by the arrogance of the wicked.
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