Psalm 73 Devotional

Nearly Slipping Then Seeing

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”Psalm 73:26 (BSB)

Asaph begins Psalm 73 by affirming that God is good to the pure in heart, then admits he nearly lost his footing (73:1-2). He envied the arrogant. They seemed untroubled by ordinary hardships, wore pride like jewelry, and mocked God as if he could not know (73:3-11). Meanwhile Asaph was suffering every day and wondering whether keeping his heart pure had been for nothing (73:13-14).

The turning point comes in God's sanctuary. There he understood where the wicked were headed: they stand on slippery ground and are swept away in a moment (73:17-19). He admits his bitterness had made him as senseless as an animal (73:21-22). Yet God never let go. He was always with Asaph, holding his right hand, guiding him with counsel, and promising to receive him into glory (73:23-24). Then comes the high point. Asaph wants no one in heaven or on earth more than God, who remains his strength and portion even when his body and heart fail (73:25-26). Envy fades when you see what you already have in God.

To think about: Whose life have you been envying lately, and what do you already have in God that you may have been overlooking?