Psa 73:24 | KingComments | STEP | The condition of Asaph and of every God-fearing person stands in the greatest possible contrast – indicated by the word “nevertheless” – with that of the wicked. Asaph can confidently say to God: “Nevertheless I am continually with You” ( ). It is also possible and probably better to translate “nevertheless I had been with You always”. All the time he was doubting, God was with him, without him being aware of it. God had grasped his right hand. This indicates a firm grip, a grip that does not slacken. God has also taken a firm hold of our hand and will never let go of us (cf. ). Thus He walks with us on the path toward His final goal, also and especially in times of trial. On the way to His appointed goal of blessing, He leads the faithful remnant through His counsel, so that in the darkness that may surround them, when they are caught in doubt, they follow the right path ( ). Thus they will enter the blessing of the realm of peace. The ultimate goal for God is to accept the faithful remnant in the realm of peace, after His glory has descended in it in the new temple, and allow them to share in the promised blessing. Once this is clear to his mind, Asaph says, and the believer says, that he has no one but God in heaven ( ). And if God is all in heaven, is there anywhere on earth that besides Him the believer can find joy in? To ask the question is answering it. In fact, the point is that the God of the heavens is enough on earth. Although the psalmist is on earth, he desires nothing apart from fellowship with the God of the heavens. His flesh and his heart may fail through all the trials of life, but not God ( ). No matter how he himself weakens, no matter how his earthly tent is broken down, God is the “strength”, literally “rock” of his heart. His heart builds on Him. God is also his portion forever. He will never lose Him. He is inextricably bound to Him forever. It is similar to what the prophet Habakkuk says in Habakkuk 3 ( ). Those who are not close to God, who have no need of His presence, but keep themselves far from Him, “will perish” ( ). Such people deliberately choose to be “unfaithful” to Him. This amounts to ‘whoredom’ [“are unfaithful” is literally “go to a whoring from”]. They break the lawful connection with Him and join themselves to idols ( ). It is the breaking of the covenant with God that is also compared to the breaking of the covenant of marriage. Therefore, it is whoredom, in the sense of adultery (cf. Hosea 1-3). God will destroy them because of their apostasy. Asaph’s choice is totally different ( ). Although everyone makes a different choice, as far as he is concerned, only one thing is “good” and that is to be “in the nearness of God”. This is the good part ( ). He began the psalm by saying that God is good to Israel ( ); now he says that being near to God is good for himself. Through his experience, a general truth – “God is good to Israel” – has become a personal truth – “the nearness of God is my good”. Something similar we see in Job. After his trial he says: “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear”, that is, as a ‘general truth’, “but now my eye sees You”, that is, it is now a ‘personal truth’ ( ). The useful effect of tribulation, namely, that one is able to endure it ( ), is now a reality. The psalmist has been exercised by discipline, which brings a peaceful fruit of righteousness ( ). He wants to live in close fellowship with Him. His feet had almost slipped, and therefore he had “made the Lord GOD” his “refuge”. God is the “Lord”, Adonai, the sovereign Ruler, and He is “GOD” or “LORD”, Yahweh, the God of the covenant with His people. From the very presence of that God he will tell all God’s works. Now that he has seen himself in the light of God, God can use him. Here the psalmist is like Isaiah. Only after Isaiah had come to self-judgment the LORD could ask him the question: “Whom shall I send …?” ( ). In connection with the lessons Asaph learned, he will speak of what he saw in the sanctuary. God’s works cannot always be understood by people, but they are always completely reliable. and form a conclusion and summary of all Psalm 73. It paints the deep contrast between the wicked and the righteous. The difference is only seen clearly in the light of the sanctuary. We must learn to look with the eyes of God to see the glory of His works. Things that we try to understand, but are unable to fathom, we can accept when we see God at work in the sanctuary. Then we can tell about them to those who also wrestle with what they perceive in the world around them ( ).

‏ Psalms 73:24

The Nearness of God

The condition of Asaph and of every God-fearing person stands in the greatest possible contrast – indicated by the word “nevertheless” – with that of the wicked. Asaph can confidently say to God: “Nevertheless I am continually with You” (Psa 73:23). It is also possible and probably better to translate “nevertheless I had been with You always”. All the time he was doubting, God was with him, without him being aware of it. God had grasped his right hand. This indicates a firm grip, a grip that does not slacken. God has also taken a firm hold of our hand and will never let go of us (cf. Jn 10:28-30). Thus He walks with us on the path toward His final goal, also and especially in times of trial.

On the way to His appointed goal of blessing, He leads the faithful remnant through His counsel, so that in the darkness that may surround them, when they are caught in doubt, they follow the right path (Psa 73:24). Thus they will enter the blessing of the realm of peace. The ultimate goal for God is to accept the faithful remnant in the realm of peace, after His glory has descended in it in the new temple, and allow them to share in the promised blessing.

Once this is clear to his mind, Asaph says, and the believer says, that he has no one but God in heaven (Psa 73:25). And if God is all in heaven, is there anywhere on earth that besides Him the believer can find joy in? To ask the question is answering it. In fact, the point is that the God of the heavens is enough on earth. Although the psalmist is on earth, he desires nothing apart from fellowship with the God of the heavens.

His flesh and his heart may fail through all the trials of life, but not God (Psa 73:26). No matter how he himself weakens, no matter how his earthly tent is broken down, God is the “strength”, literally “rock” of his heart. His heart builds on Him. God is also his portion forever. He will never lose Him. He is inextricably bound to Him forever. It is similar to what the prophet Habakkuk says in Habakkuk 3 (Hab 3:17-19).

Those who are not close to God, who have no need of His presence, but keep themselves far from Him, “will perish” (Psa 73:27). Such people deliberately choose to be “unfaithful” to Him. This amounts to ‘whoredom’ [“are unfaithful” is literally “go to a whoring from”]. They break the lawful connection with Him and join themselves to idols (Jer 5:7). It is the breaking of the covenant with God that is also compared to the breaking of the covenant of marriage. Therefore, it is whoredom, in the sense of adultery (cf. Hosea 1-3). God will destroy them because of their apostasy.

Asaph’s choice is totally different (Psa 73:28). Although everyone makes a different choice, as far as he is concerned, only one thing is “good” and that is to be “in the nearness of God”. This is the good part (Lk 10:42). He began the psalm by saying that God is good to Israel (Psa 73:1b); now he says that being near to God is good for himself. Through his experience, a general truth – “God is good to Israel” – has become a personal truth – “the nearness of God is my good”.

Something similar we see in Job. After his trial he says: “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear”, that is, as a ‘general truth’, “but now my eye sees You”, that is, it is now a ‘personal truth’ (Job 42:5). The useful effect of tribulation, namely, that one is able to endure it (1Cor 10:13), is now a reality. The psalmist has been exercised by discipline, which brings a peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11).

He wants to live in close fellowship with Him. His feet had almost slipped, and therefore he had “made the Lord GOD” his “refuge”. God is the “Lord”, Adonai, the sovereign Ruler, and He is “GOD” or “LORD”, Yahweh, the God of the covenant with His people.

From the very presence of that God he will tell all God’s works. Now that he has seen himself in the light of God, God can use him. Here the psalmist is like Isaiah. Only after Isaiah had come to self-judgment the LORD could ask him the question: “Whom shall I send …?” (Isa 6:5-8). In connection with the lessons Asaph learned, he will speak of what he saw in the sanctuary. God’s works cannot always be understood by people, but they are always completely reliable.

Psa 73:27 and Psa 73:28 form a conclusion and summary of all Psalm 73. It paints the deep contrast between the wicked and the righteous. The difference is only seen clearly in the light of the sanctuary.

We must learn to look with the eyes of God to see the glory of His works. Things that we try to understand, but are unable to fathom, we can accept when we see God at work in the sanctuary. Then we can tell about them to those who also wrestle with what they perceive in the world around them (Rom 8:28-39).