Have you enjoyed the "PEANUTS" cartoon characters over the years? I particularly like Snoopy. In one cartoon strip, it's Thanksgiving Day and the aroma of roast turkey fills Charlie Brown's house. Now, Snoopy's outside on top of his doghouse, smelling the aroma, and he's thinking, "It's Thanksgiving Day and everybody has turkey on Thanksgiving." So, he lies on top of his house watching the back door, eagerly waiting for his Thanksgiving dinner. And finally, the door opens, out comes Charlie Brown with a bowl of dog food. Snoopy gets off his house and just stares at the bowl with a full on look in his face and he thinks, "Just because I'm a dog, why do I have to eat dog food on Thanksgiving?" And then the next square of the comic strip shows him looking down at the dog food more intently, only this time he's thinking, "It could be worse. I could be the turkey."

Having a correct perspective on where we stand in life is healthy to examine from time to time, of course, especially at this time of the year as we examine our lives before God. Perhaps one book in the Bible that's dedicated to gaining and maintaining a proper perspective is the Book of Psalms. And today, we're going to look at the 73rd Psalm in particular. We're going to study Psalms 73 and look at how this psalm flows from doubt to faith. The author is willing to share with the nation of Israel his spiritual biography. This is what makes the Bible real. Real stories of real people's struggles. And in his life story, the psalmist reveals how he was on the very threshold of an unspeakable disaster. His faith was almost gone. He was going to give up.

The psalmist is a man named Asaph. Asaph looked at the ungodly and then he looked at the righteous. Things did not measure up equally, or so he thought. Asaph's story here is a story of temptation, self-pity, disillusionment, resentment, uncertainty, and near ruin. And in "PEANUT's" language, he felt he was eating from the dog bowl of life. It voices a question we've all asked at one time or another. If in fact following Christ promises God's blessing, then why do we struggle so much with our health, finances, relationships, our jobs, while others seem to enjoy tremendous prosperity? Some like Asaph have considered turning away from God at some point, and many have at some point thought of throwing in the towel, giving up. So, this is what Asaph is wrestling with.

We need to be reminded that tough times are not the end of the story. Everyone has a bad day from time to time, but for those who follow God's way, the end is glorious. It's worth it. And Asaph, the writer of Psalms 73, had a terrible day. It was much more than just a bad hair day. In fact, his whole attitude came into question. When we begin to have doubts, when we focus on the prosperity of the ungodly, when we lose heart, reading Psalms 73 is a good place to turn. In psalms of lament, there's a threefold emphasis, I am hurting, you're not helping, and they are winning. And here, Psalms 73 is the third part of a psalm of lament, they are winning, everybody seems to be eating turkey and I'm eating from the dog bowl. Even the anti-God people are doing well. How can that be? Does a godly lifestyle really pay off?

So, we're going to look at Psalms 73, and I've titled the message, "Asaph's Terrible Day." Asaph Terrible Day. And we'll ask as we go along, how does this apply to us as we prepare for Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread? What is the ultimate story of one who suffered? Jesus faced a terrible circumstance, and he literally gave his life that we might live. Most people would think it unjust to give your life for someone else's crimes. So, let's turn to Psalms 73. I think it really is one that we can relate to more often than not. You've probably noticed that not all the psalms are attributed to King David.

Who was Asaph, anyway? He's an interesting figure in the Old Testament. He's actually a very mature, godly man who had been seasoned in leadership for the nation of Israel. He's the author of 12 psalms here that we have. He was one of King David's song leaders, actually. He was a Levite appointed to sound with symbols of brass by the chief of the Levites. That's in 1 Chronicles 15, if you want to look it up. Nehemiah 12 shows us that Asaph's sons were singers over the business in the house of God. So, the whole family were in the corral, so to speak. And the King commanded that the whole family be looked after. Years later, King Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord, from the words of David and from the words of Asaph. The king said, "We must sing the praises that Asaph wrote."

And so, these psalms were very well-respected for many, many years. In fact, we have 'em with us here 3,000 years later to read. And yet in spite of the important respectable position that Asaph held in the nation, we find in Psalms 73 that he almost walked away from God completely. He became completely discouraged. He was going to give up. So, let's see what we can glean from Asaph's terrible day, because he pulls back the curtain to reveal his struggle that almost took him over the edge. Why? He thought that high-quality performance should be appreciably rewarded, but such was not the case. So, we can divide this chapter up into nine short sections. There are nine little themes throughout here that we can look at. And the first one, point one is simply the opening statement in verse one. Verse one is the opening statement.

Psalm 73:1 We read, "Truly God is good to Israel to such as are pure in heart."

God is good, we agree with that, but maybe we find it hard to declare at certain times. Notice Asaph said or adds "with Israel." So, we're talking about God's chosen people here, and that will be His church today. God is good to His people, and the people of God should have a pure heart. God is good to His people, His church members who are pure in heart. Now, intellectually, we know this. Yeah, God is good, and He takes care of His people. So, that's the opening statement. The human heart is a central focus actually in this psalm. It's mentioned six different times, the heart. Then we come to verses 2 and 3, which is the problem. So, our second point is the problem, and we read about the problem in verses 2 and 3.

Psalm 73:2-3 Here we go. "As for me," says Asaph, "my feet had almost stumbled. My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."

The first-person singular pronouns in these verses are significant, it's I, my, me. He's evaluating his situation in isolation. He seems to be going it alone. It's an unsettling doubt, and he almost loses his faith and his foothold on the path, he says. His walk with God is attacked. He's slipping and stumbling.

In verse 3, he confesses his jealousy and makes judgments based on what he sees. He is influenced by physical reality, the appearance of wicked people who are arrogantly prosperous. And so, he almost lost it due to his envy of the ungodly who were doing well for themselves. When bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people, there's a tension that needs to be resolved. Relieving that tension is what this psalm is all about. As we read on in the chapter, we come to see how much Asaph was dwelling on the successes of ungodly people. So, this is the problem, our point two, as he sees it.

Our third point is what the ungodly are like. And this is verses 4 through 11, what the ungodly are like, versus 4 through 11. And here he details his perceptions of power and the freedom that these people seem to enjoy in life. And there as I said, his perception of what the ungodly are like. Look at verse 4.

Psalm 73:4 "There are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm."

The New Revised Standard Version says, "They have no pain, their bodies are sound and sleek."

Psalm 73:5 "They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men."

The New International Version says, "They're free from the burdens common to man. They're not plagued by human ills." You can almost hear the wicked say, "Look around you and see how much we prosper."

Psalm 73:6 "Therefore pride serves as their necklace. Violence covers them like a garment."

So, they proudly wear their pride like a jewel around their neck. Very arrogant.

Psalm 73:7 "Their eyes bulge with abundance. They have more than heart could wish."

The New American Standard Bible says, "Their eyes bulge from fatness. The imaginations of their heart run riot."

Psalms 73:8 "They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens."

So, they set their mouth against God. They speak against God. "And their tongue walks through the earth." The NIV says that their mouths lay claim to heaven and their tongue takes possession of the earth. Some people seem to worship success. That's what's important to them, instead of worshiping God. In the corporate world, we know that's often how it is. Perhaps like Asaph, we're a bit jealous of how well they do, how well life seems to go for them. Our world is obsessed with the rich and beautiful. Television program after television program capitalizes on the rich and the beautiful, and the media reinforces the perception of its power and freedom. A "CNN Perspectives" program in 1999 called "The New Gold Rush" focused on what happened in Silicon Valley, California about 2 decades ago, about 20 years ago. And if you listen to the interviews on CNN with attractive successful young men and women, you are struck by their sense, their air of self-importance in the Silicon Valley, the power they've been given.

One young man in the interview said the only thing that matters in the Silicon Valley culture right now is how smart he is and being able to convince others that he's right. That's what in the interview he saw as important in his life. Another young man talked about the tremendous sense of fulfillment he has in his work and said that work has replaced religion. He paused and said that actually, religion has very little interest to people in the valley anyway. They've found what replaces religion. And from Asaph's perspective, we end up admiring those people in spite of their arrogance against God. Material success is the supreme ruler of the universe, in their minds. They boast about their atheism. The self-confidence of the ungodly may entice people, especially if they do not have a deeply rooted faith in our Father and Jesus Christ. "So, this is what the ungodly are like," Asaph thinks. And then verses 10 through 12 summarize the popular worship of this kind of success.

Psalm 73:10-11 "Therefore," verse 10, "his people return here, and waters of a full cup are drained by them, and they say, 'How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'"

The NIV says, "How can God know? Does the most high have any knowledge?" So, you look at how scornful the ungodly can be, as noted in verse 11. God is not very smart is what they're saying. Look at verse 4 again. It looks like they have perfect health and will live until a ripe old age. They work out at snazzy fitness clubs, don't have a single gram fat in their bodies, their cholesterol is low, blood pressure is excellent, and they'll live to be 120. It's basically what verse 4 is saying. If they had fitness clubs back then, I guess.

If you look at verse 5 again, at first glance it seems they don't have normal day-to-day struggles like the rest of us. And verse 7 adds, "Their eye bulges from fatness." So, they have a smug self-satisfied look, and anything their eyes sees they can have. They live a wild life, and everyone looks up to them. From Asaph's perspective, these people seem to have no struggles. They're carefree and unconcerned about tomorrow. Their motto is life now. And for these people, wealth and power increase. They're almost God-like in their freedom of speech and movement, and even mock God, "God is dumb." They don't appear to suffer the same frailties and difficulties in terms of hard work or serious illness. They don't regard God or have regard for God's word. But in spite of their atheistic ungodly hearts, life just seems to get better and better for them. They're people of pride and self-importance and their tongues are used for intimidating the people around them.

On January 9, 2015, CNN had an online opinion piece by Ryan Bell titled, "Why You Don't Need God." And Ryan Bell is a writer on irreligion in America. Here are a couple of paragraphs from the article "Why You Don't Need God."

"I had been a Seventh Day Adventist pastor for 19 years. I resigned from my pastoral position the year before, but now I've stepped away from my faith altogether. I questioned the problem of evils and God's general silence and inactivity. I sought out more liberal theologies and found them to be the slow death of God. But my experience is that acknowledging the absence of God has helped me refocus on the wonderful and unlikely life I do have. This realization has given me a sense of immediacy about my life. As I come to terms with the fact that this life is the only one I get, I am more motivated than ever to make it count. I want to experience as much happiness and pleasure as I can." That's his whole goal in life, "As much pleasure and happiness as I can. Life does not need a divine source in order to be meaningful."

And so, 3,000 years ago, Asaph too sees a trail of godlessness in their wake as they live at the expense of other people. So, this is our section three, what the ungodly are like. And then we get a summary in verse 12 of what the ungodly are like. So, point four I simply called, A Summary of What the Ungodly Are Like, here in verse 12.

Psalms 73:12 "Behold these are the ungodly, who are always at ease. They increase in riches."

The Bible in Basic English says, "Truly such are the sinners. They do well at all times and their wealth is increased." This kind of statement encapsulates it all, doesn't it? It seems that some people can get away with murder and become richer every day. And so, that leads us to point five, self-pity. Verses 13 through 16, self-pity. Asaph now begins to ask if living a life of righteousness is really worth all the effort, "Maybe I should just give up. All seems to be done in vain. Why should I even bother?" And these verses here now show a downward spiral for Asaph, and it continues with twin crises here in verses 13 and 14. Verse 13 is a spiritual crisis. Verse 14 is an emotional crisis. And at the heart of his struggle is self-pity, thinking of himself. And it's at work like a deadly virus now in his system.

Psalms 73:13-14 "Surely, I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence." It was all for nothing living a righteous life, he's saying. Verse 14, "For all day long I've been plagued and chastened every morning."

In verse 13, he's saying, "It doesn't seem to matter what I think or how carefully I finish tasks, it's always in vain." He says, "I've washed my hands even though they weren't dirty. I didn't do anything wrong, I washed them in innocence." He says, "I'm living a good life. Why?" Asaph here concludes that his walk of faith, trusting and following God wholeheartedly has been a waste of time.

The clean heart in verse 13 is the same as a pure heart in verse 1, same word. He knows God is good to His people with pure hearts, but he thinks experience does not bear it out. The question in this verse is very self-centered, but if we're honest, it's a question some of us may have asked, "What have I gotten out of being in God's church? Why isn't my life better?" And then verse 15.

Psalm 73:15-16 "If I had said I will speak thus,” if I talk about this, “behold I would've been untrue to the generation of your children. When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me."

The New Revised Standard Version says, "When I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task." Verse 15 means, "I couldn't talk to others about it because it would do more harm than good. If I said how I really feel, it would've shattered their faith." And verse 16 shows the pain and weariness in even trying to understand all of this. If Asaph allows his emotions to run wild and says everything he's feeling, it would undermine the confidence in God of the little ones in his spiritual family, is what he's saying. The generations of God's children. He said, "I can't even really talk out loud about this without shattering people's faith when they see how it's affecting me. It'll be an act of betrayal." So, our point five is Asaph's self-pity. So, what do we do next? Where do we turn to solve this enigma of the ungodly? What did Asaph learn?

Point six is simply one verse, verse 17, called The Turning Point. The Turning Point. Asaph's crisis of faith thankfully does not drive him into isolation but rather into seeking God for the answers. And this is an important reminder for you and me, and for him this becomes a pivotal act. He says in verse 16.

Psalm 73:16-17 "It was too painful for me until," and that's the pivotal word. Verse 17, "Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood their end."

Asaph says, "I perceived." He finally saw reality as God sees it. We also need to see that ungodly people we may envy are in utter and complete contrast to their reality. The apparent power, freedom, and stability of the wicked is illusory. We should not be jealous of what they have right now because it is nothing but vanity.

The prosperity of the ungodly has filled up Asaph's vision to this point. But from now to the end of the psalm, God Himself, the God of the sanctuary fills up Asaph's vision of reality, of what is really happening. Asaph enters the temple, the central place of worship, the place of fellowship with God's people, and he moves away from isolation. He's now no longer going it alone, I, my, me. The temple was the place to hear the word of God read, and sung, and prayed, and preached. And worshiping God causes Asaph to realize, "This too shall pass." It helped him get a grip on his emotions. Where do you turn in time of trouble? The church. How did the author of Hebrews instruct us to respond to such problems? By not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. That's in Hebrews 10.

That's the solution, not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, coming to the sanctuary of God. God provided the church to assist His people in their daily pressures from the wicked. We need one another in our lives. So, yes, we go to the sanctuary of God, the worship service. Just as Asaph felt the comfort of God in his sanctuary, so do we. We find encouragement and hope among other believers. Those sharing similar trials and circumstances. We who are distressed can find the solution in God and with his people. The answers to doubts and frustrations can only be found in God and with his church. So, point six, verse 17 here is the turning point for Asaph. So, now look what happens as we read on.

Point seven is what the ungodly are really like. So, earlier we saw what Asaph thought the ungodly were like. Now we see what the ungodly are really like. This is verses 18, 19 and 20. So, we put the whole subject into perspective. What are the ungodly really like? What does God see from his vantage point on high?

Psalm 73:18-20 "Surely you set them in slippery places. You cast them down to destruction. Oh how they're brought to desolation as in a moment. They're utterly consumed with terrors." Verse 20, "As a dream when one awakes." Like a bad dream, like a nightmare. "So, Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image."

So, if you look at the first part of verse 18, Asaph initially thought in verse 2 that he was the one on the slippery slope. He said, "But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped." But look who's on slippery ground now. Verse 18 in the Bible in Basic English says, "You put their feet where there was dangerous slipping, so that they go down into destruction." So, Asaph then begins to see the bigger picture and what it is really like to be counted among the ungodly. You don't want to be one of them, no matter how rich and famous they are.

As Asaph enters the sanctuary, he sees the triumph and prosperity of the wicked as only temporary. He looks upon the destruction that awaits them. It's true that God makes blessings to fall upon the godly and the ungodly, but the ultimate blessings of God are available only through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice as our Passover lamb. That's the only solution. The ungodly may experience joy for now, but certain destruction awaits them down the road. And so, Asaph here now begins to understand his misperception of them, that their future is actually incredibly unstable. They are the ones that are going to slip and fall. Why be envious of them? Asaph entered the sanctuary and he discovered he was in possession of great wealth. He realized he was in the presence of God, a source of true wealth. When one needs encouragement, what better place to turn, where to find solace, than with the people of God? So, we come to point seven, what the ungodly are really like. Now we know what the outcome of those who won't follow God really is.

And so, point eight, Asaph confesses his short-sightedness. So, now he confesses his sin before God. This is verses 21 and 22. Asaph confesses his short-sightedness.

Psalm 73:21-22 He says, "Thus my heart was grieved. I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant. I was like a beast before you."

The NIV says, "I was senseless and ignorant just like an animal." So, he says, "Thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind." When was that? Up until verse 17, right? Until. And this is strong, honest self-talk. It's an important movement in the psalm in terms of Asaph's understanding. He's aware of his own culpability before God. He was nothing before God. In verse 2, he was concerned about his own personal danger, almost stumbling in his walk with God. In verse 15, he's concerned about other people and the danger of betraying his people, his children, by speaking responsibly of his doubts, envy, and self-pity, but now it's God with Asaph, and he confesses his sin to God. And that is such an important place for everyone to eventually come to in their life, to realize our place before God and Jesus Christ. Coming to see the importance of approaching the sanctuary of God cannot be underestimated. And so, in section eight, Asaph confesses his short-sightedness.

And the last section, point nine, I have titled, Recognition of God's Help in Present Times. Recognition of God's Help in Present Times. And that's verses 23 through 28. And here we see now in verse 23.

Psalm 73:23-24 "Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You hold me by my right hand," talking of God. "You will guide me with your counsel and afterward receive me to glory."

Ultimately, Asaph came to the conclusion that true goodness, contentment, and tranquility consists of a different kind of reward. The experience of God's presence in your life. "Our Father holding our hand," is how he puts it. God holding your hand, and our ultimate glory and salvation. The first word in verse 23, "nevertheless," is a significant word. "We sin, nevertheless, our God of the sanctuary is a God of forgiveness and restoration." The reality is we are forgiven as we repent. And Jesus Christ's sacrifice, as we know, makes this possible. Now, Asaph sees God in glory, as he continues here in a prayer. It's no longer a prayer of confession, but of thanksgiving and praise now. He's grateful for the joy of God's presence, holding his right hand. Even in the struggles of life, there is now an amazing confidence about his eternal future. He says to glory, that's his ultimate future, and now he realizes and remembers that. A glorious future. We experience sorrow and suffering on earth, but we have been given the privilege of knowing the end from the beginning, and that will be our glory as well. Look at Verse 25.

Psalm 73:25-28 "Whom have I in heaven but you? There is none other that I desire besides you." You know, ultimately, it's God and only God. "My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed those who are far from you, the ungodly, shall perish. You have destroyed all those who desert you for harlotry, but it is good for me to draw near to God. I've put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all your works."

So, now Asaph is saying, "I'm sticking with you, God, no matter how bad it may look at any given moment. I'm not giving up. I'm in this for the long haul." And so now for Asaph, it's not just knowing about God or what the Bible says, it's that now he knows God himself. He has a relationship with God, a relationship with the God of the universe, the creator. And now it's changing his whole life and perspective. Now he's not worried about what the ungodly get away with. He knows what their ultimate end will be. And it's not what he knows, but who he knows now that will change it. And so, the psalm ends with our point nine, Recognition of God's Help in Present Times or in Our Life.

So, how does this story of Asaph's terrible day apply to us as we prepare for the Passover and days of Unleavened Bread? What example do we have of one who did suffer unjustly and in great pain for us? Let's turn to Hebrews 2, read verses 17 and 18 for a moment as a reminder here.

Hebrews 2:17-18 "Therefore, in all things, He, Jesus, had to be made like His brethren." He had to come down to this earth and live as a human being. "That He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make appreciation or to make atonement for the sins of the people." That's why he came, for my sin, for your sin, to make atonement for the sins of the people. "For in that, He Himself has suffered, being tempted, and now is able to aid those who are tempted."

So, He knows what it's like. He lived on this earth. He was actually here walking the streets of Jerusalem, and He suffered that our sins can be taken away. Jesus Christ suffered greatly that we might have our sins forgiven and be offered the gift of eternal life, the ultimate glory. But unlike Asaph, Jesus fully understood the reason for His suffering. His sacrifice was to make our sins forgivable. Go to Hebrews 5 and notice verse 7 through 9.

Hebrews 5:7-9 Talking of Jesus. "Jesus who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death and was heard because of His godly fear. Though He was a son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered."

You want to talk about someone who really did suffer. Asaph wasn't suffering like he thought he was. Jesus certainly did in verse 9, but having been perfected, Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Yes, our savior suffered greatly. He suffered for us, not because of Himself. Jesus knows exactly what the ungodly are like and what they get away with for now. Jesus had no self-pity like Asaph did. He never stumbled or doubted His path here on earth. And He always recognized and sought the father's help, as we should. Jesus had the perfect relationship with the God of the universe.

So, let's wrap this up now. When things look bad, Asaph invites us to take a more comprehensive view of life, more of an overview. Take a look at the beginning and the end. Don't just take a snapshot of a moment in time. When we see God's plan of salvation, we can join with Asaph in affirming that surely God is good. It's not just an intellectual thing we say. No, God is good. I'd like to close with 1 Peter 1:6-9. Here Peter is writing to the church, writing to us.

1 Peter 1:6-9 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials." So, yes, we do face trials, but actually we know the end from the beginning. We can rejoice knowing where it will lead us. Verse 7, "That the genuineness of your faith be much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire. That your faith may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." So, when Christ returns, that faith will mean something. "And Jesus whom having not seen, you love. Though now you do not see Him yet believing, you rejoice, with joy, inexpressible and full of glory receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

That's the end of the story. Our salvation, our eternal life. And so, even though we are grieved by various trials, we keep a different perspective on where we're going. The most important thing in life is to have the presence of God in you, being led by His Holy Spirit until that day of salvation. As we enter the Passover season, we're reminded of our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and our Father through thick and thin, good times and bad times. We're in it for the long haul. We're not going to give up. We're not going to be discouraged by what we see others get away with. We must enter the sanctuary of God like Asaph did.

The laying on of hands at our baptism gave us the Holy Spirit, the source of our coming salvation and eternal life. Never forget that time in your life, your baptism. The Passover each year is a bit of a reminder of that, when you first said I do to God, to Jesus Christ. The annual reminder of Jesus' sacrifice and shed blood for your sins, for my sins. A very important reminder here in a week or so of your baptismal commitment that you would stick with it for the long haul, you wouldn't give up no matter what you see happening around you. Asaph came to the realization that true happiness and peace can only come through God's presence in your life. And he came to see his faithfulness was not in vain. And so, Asaph changed his views from self-pity to praising God for what God was doing in his life.

Psalms 73 is a voice of a teacher to the faithful. And this narrated experience that we just read, it's very authentic. It's kind of private. You don't go around telling people what he did to you all the time for the whole world to read. But it's now no longer a piece of private reflection. It's here now to provide others, to provide you and me with direction and insight to help us. And we often find the most courageous examples of faith and belief in God come from those who are in dire straits themselves. Many a minister will tell you he was so encouraged after a visit to the hospital to anoint a dying church member, and he came away feeling, you know, his faith restored. This psalm is not just about theology, it's not just religious theory. God is who he says he is. And because of that reality, every one of us can live like Asaph. We can experience the same reality and presence of God in our lives, and come to see that too. So, may we rely on God even more for our strength and perspective as we prepare for the Passover and the Unleavened Bread season. We too can learn from Asaph's terrible day.