As occurred more often, the Israelites expected the Lord to respond immediately to the actions of man. They expected the righteous to be rewarded already in this life, and for the wicked to be punished. This was the conclusion of Asaph which he writes about at length in Psalm 73:1–28. Like the Israelites in our text, Asaph felt it was vain to serve the Lord, and he almost abandoned his service of the Lord. He was envious of the wicked, for they had no troubles in life. They experienced health and wealth until their death. Only later did he comprehend that the Lord’s rewards and punishments were not immediately meted out, and sometimes not at all in this life, but only on the Day of Judgment. Asaph came to realize this when he discerned their end
(Psalm 78:17). (See also Job 21:7; Psalm 17:14; Psalm 37:1, Psalm 37:35; Jeremiah 12:1.)
14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts?