Psalm 73

Have you ever had a “close call” situation, a time when you came close to danger or harm, but at the last moment, you escaped? Sharing a “close call” story can be exciting, but it can also serve as a warning. Psalm 73 is a wisdom psalm, one that distinguishes the blessings of following God and the consequences of rejecting Him. The psalm writer tells of his “close call” story reminding us of the temptation to see things in the limited light of our perspective. Only by God’s illuminating wisdom and grace does the writer finally recognize the blessing of seeing things as they truly are.

Psalm 73 ESV

A Psalm of Asaph. 1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. 7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. 8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. 11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. 13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. 16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. 18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. 21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. 23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Hebrew Poetry

Hebrew poetry typically uses short phrases that together form larger concepts. Sometimes these phrases are joined together by comparing opposite things, and other times the phrases complement each other by giving more detail or restating the idea differently. We recognize this characteristic as parallelism. This form of writing dates back to the ancient eastern culture, with early examples as far as 2300 BC.

Because we are reading an English translation instead of the original Hebrew, we may not catch all the nuance of languages, such as rhyme and wordplay, but we still can receive the plain meaning of the writing. To help the English reader, editors and translators often leave markers to help us. For example, you will notice the indentation that helps separate the short phrases and lines. They also add extra spaces to help show suggested stanzas (paragraph-like sections). In our study of Psalm 73,

I will use a division of four parts:

Declaring God’s Goodness and “Close Call”

Reasons for Doubting God’s Goodness

Lessons from God

Conclusion

A Close Call

The psalm begins by emphatically declaring that God is good. God is good to Israel and the pure in heart. Being “pure in heart” implies both obedience to God and commitment to God alone. But we should recognize that the covenant people of Israel have not always been pure in heart. The Old Testament reminds us of great moments of commitment and terrible moments of complete rejection. Even in those circumstances, God remains good. He is faithful. When His people wander from their faith, He lovingly calls them back through consequence and discipline with the end goal of restoring the broken relationship. But the writer has in mind a comparison of God’s hand toward those who remain pure in heart. After declaring God is good, he tells us of his feet that almost stumbled. His close call was that he almost became convinced that God was not good, nor was it wise to remain pure in heart. Why? Because the evil people seemed to have a life better than he did.

Reasons for Doubt

The writer is near a moment of slipping in his commitment to God. When he compares the life of those who follow or reject God, he is tempted to conclude that those who reject God have it better. The writer hints at two things that they have: a lack of problems and an abundance of power. The psalm writer explains that the wicked have fewer problems than the average person. Because of their unusual freedom from problems, they have become prideful and powerful people. They become self-centered and violent because they can walk over anyone who gets in their way. They are so full of themselves and their success that they “ooze” a certain aura of power and influence wherever they go.

Ultimately, this has two effects. First, it causes the wicked to be increasingly antagonistic to God and His ways. Secondly, it stirs up within God’s people a temptation to find the path of wickedness attractive. And for those who have yet to make up their mind, they might as well conclude that God’s path has no value. Those who follow God logically ask the questions, "Shouldn’t things be different? Shouldn’t God do something about this reversal of expectation?" Some may even doubt that one’s sin can even catch up to them if God seems to be disconnected from our reality. The writer comes close to concluding that all this “following God stuff” is worthless and in vain. But the psalmist writes that he “almost slipped.”

Lesson from God

The psalm is about coming close to making the wrong conclusions based on what one currently sees and feels. The writer confesses to the difficulty of making sense of the situation, for things seemed to be the opposite of how they should be. The key to the revelation is when the writer goes to the sanctuary of God. The sanctuary could refer to the location of the tabernacle or temple, but the emphasis is on the presence of God that makes that place holy and a place of revelation. God revealed His truth to open the eyes of a confused heart. Let’s look at what he learned in God’s presence. Rejecting and rebelling against God will prove:

to be ruinous and disastrous in a moment’s time

to be no match against God’s sovereignty

Final Conclusion

The writer concludes the psalm by confessing his ignorance. He compares his ignorance to an animal. And he renews his commitment to following God, even when things seem temporarily out of sync with God’s sovereignty. Instead of doubt, the writer comes to his senses and reflects upon God’s continual guidance and counsel. God’s path indeed leads to glory because we ultimately are following God. And in comparison to all the things we could ever desire, God is greater. He can meet all our needs. The writer compares his weakness and extols the unending strength of God. He then restates that there is blessing in remaining with God. He does not want to wander anymore in thoughts or actions. He wants to settle down and take refuge in God. He has found his place and seeks to tell others of the One True God.

Truth in a World of Lies

The battle for truth has been challenged since the beginning of humanity. Satan successfully deceived Adam and Eve to sin by dissecting truth by questioning God's statements. “Did God actually say?” And the answer is YES. God forewarned Adam and Eve that they would die if they ate of the forbidden tree. Genesis 2:16-17

What God says will happen and surely come to pass. However, God’s timing is the issue we often assume makes God’s truth null and void. So why don’t those who reject God get a swifter judgment? Why does He seem to delay the consequences? The Bible gives us some insight into why it seems that God takes so long to deal with those who reject Him and lets them appear to prosper. 2 Peter 3:7-10

2 Peter 3:7–10 ESV

7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Just as God was patient toward your stubborn heart, so too is He giving time to others so that they may come to repentance. God’s truth will come to pass, even if takes a little longer than we like. Pray that those who prosper in their rejection of God would come to know the truth.

Jesus is Truth

When Jesus stood before Pilate before His crucifixion, Pilate had to figure out who was telling the truth. Was it the priests and religious leaders who accused Jesus? Pilate attempted to cut through the different voices and asked Jesus directly, “are you the King of the Jews?”. Pilate could potentially see through all the lies and motives of Jesus’ accusers. Pilate asked Jesus to affirm or deny his claim. John 18:36-38

John 18:36–38 ESV

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

Pilate spoke the words that many are asking today. What is truth when so many voice are making truth claims? What is the truth when some voice are suppressing its proclamation? What is truth when it doesn’t seem to align with what one experiences at the moment? How could Jesus be a king? Pilate did not recognize that he stood face to face with the embodiment of truth. Truth was speaking to him.

As believers, scripture calls us to hold tightly to truth. Our holding to truth means that we will come to know the One who is Truth. What is Truth? God alone is true. This truth has been proven and will continue to be proven, until one day it will be stated by all. Philippians 2:10-11

Good to be near God

The psalm writer began the song by declaring God is good. And now, he closes by stating this truth with great appreciation. He declares that it is good to be near God. He knows where the paths lead. He has gained wisdom from the sanctuary of God. So may we, too, continually conclude the same.