1. Who is accredited in writing his psalm? What is the opening declaration? What almost happened to the author? How might you related? (2) What was the specifics of his crisis of faith? (3) Why do people envy the rich? What feelings are added when they are wicked?
2. What two aspects of life did the rich wicked have that Asaph did not in verse 4? What two aspects of life did the rich wicked have that Asaph did not in verse 5?
3. What are two results listed in verse 6 because of the four conditions of being rich as listed in verses 4 and 5? What does their callous heart result in? (7)
4. What are two ways their violence and pride expressed per verse 8? Does their pride know no bound? (9) Who are "their people"? What do they do? Why? (10) Why do they ask the two questions in verse 11? Why are they in error about God?
II. In Vain (73:12-22)
5. How is verse 12 like verses 4 and 5? How is it different? Why is this possible? What did Asaph conclude? (13) What did he assume would happen if he kept his heart pure that did not happen? How was he in error about God? Did Jesus, the Apostles, prophets, and David live like Asaph saw the wicked live? How did Asaph describe his life? (14)
6. What is Asaph talking about in verse 15? What changed his mind? How would entering the sanctuary of God change his mind? What does that have to do with the righteous' final destiny? What does that tell us about what makes the final destiny so great?
7. How did meeting God change his perspective about what is really happening to the wicked? Consider Jesus' parable about the rich man and Lazarus. What happens to the wicked in the end? What event is Asaph referring to in verse 20? After meeting God which changed his life perspective, what did he confess about his previous way of thinking about life? (21-22)
III. It is Good to be Near God (73:23-28)
8. What did Asaph accept even though he had been wrong? What did he learn about how God dealt with him? What was his knew desire and hope? (25) What did he believe about God now?
9. What will happen to those who are far from God? What did he know about his future and how did that change his present life plan?
