Asaph said, “As for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped” (Psalm 73:2).

Inequality in human society caused Asaph to doubt God’s government of the world (73:1–16). He confessed, “I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (72:3). He could not explain why good things happen to bad people. He was the Doubting Thomas of the Old Testament. Thomas doubted a fact—the resurrection (John 20:24–29). Asaph doubted a truth—God is righteous. Life seemed to care neither for a saint’s prayers nor his tears.

The prosperity of the wicked is a perennial stumbling block. Jeremiah requested an interview with God over it: “Let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?” (Jeremiah 12:1). God’s government extends to all humanity (Jeremiah 22:29). His character is just, and He has power to carry out decisions, so we might expect in every instance that virtue would be rewarded and vice punished immediately. This is not reality. For a time, at least, some wicked prosper, and some righteous do not. Thus, bad men may assume God is on their side, and good men may think God has dropped the reins of government.