Introduction: This Psalm raises three questions....What are the Wicked doing? What will God do about the Wicked? What shall I do? Let's take these one at a time.

I. What are the Wicked doing?

A. They are shooting at the upright.

1. They shoot literal weapons, and they persecute and kill millions of God's people. This was true in David's time, true in Apostolic times, and true today. Jesus warned about persecution in Matthew 10:17-23:

Mat 10:17 "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues.
Mat 10:18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.
Mat 10:19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,
Mat 10:20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Mat 10:21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.
Mat 10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Mat 10:23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

2. They also shoot spiritual weapons against God's people. The media is an arm of unbelievers (see Thursday's newspaper editorial). The public school systems promote an atheistic, evolutionary view of life. The entertainment industry promotes immorality in pop music, on TV, and at the movies. Tolerance is considered THE GREAT VIRTUE by our generation. The Wicked are trying hard to destroy God's foundations. (They cannot truly succeed. It only seems that way to us because we do not always see the big picture.)

II. What will God do?

A. He remains on His throne-- He is still God, He is still in charge, He cannot be removed by the Wicked. His plans for the world cannot be thwarted.

B. He observes and examines the sons of men. He watches carefully, He takes notes (see Revelation 20:11-12).

Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

C.God will rain fire and brimstone on the Wicked. Their eternal lot will be a "scorching wind." In other words, they will be sent to Hell. Many today say there is no Hell, but Jesus warned us about it:

Rev 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Mat 18:8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
Mat 18:9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

D. God will test the righteous. He allows calamities, and He allows the Wicked to attack us, in order that we might learn to trust in Him, and to become spiritually strong.

F. God will take the righteous to Heaven, to see His face (Ps. 11:7). Jesus taught about that, too:

Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
Rev 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

III. What shall WE do?

A. Don't envy the wicked (Psalm 73:2-17)

Psa 73:2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
Psa 73:3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psa 73:4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
Psa 73:5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
Psa 73:6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
Psa 73:7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
Psa 73:8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Psa 73:9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
Psa 73:10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
Psa 73:11 They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?"
Psa 73:12 This is what the wicked are like-- always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Psa 73:13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
Psa 73:14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.
Psa 73:15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children.
Psa 73:16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me
Psa 73:17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

B. We must learn to take refuge in God, when the Wicked are running wild and threatening us.

C. We should do what we can to preserve and rebuild the foundations. Every generation needs to do this over again. We do this by teaching and preaching the Word of God, and living by it.

D. We should accept God's discipline with humility and patience. Job is a great example. He lost all he had. His wife urged him to curse God and commit suicide. Job kept his faith.

E. We should count on God's justice, and keep on trusting in Him. A day is coming when God will don His judge's robes and balance the accounts.

F. We should look forward to that day when we will see the face of God, and He will reward us for our faithfulness.