Psalm 73 is a well-known psalm of lament in which Asaph, the leader of David’s choirs, wrestles with the reality that evil sometimes prospers, that those who are not God’s people seem to do well in life. After bemoaning the temporary glory of the wicked, Asaph confesses that His thinking was foolish, that his knowledge is like an animal’s compared to the Lord’s wisdom. And he concludes the psalm with a powerful statement of the Lord’s goodness.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. Those far from You will certainly perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge, so I can tell about all You do. (Psalm 73:26-28)
When you scan the pronouns in the psalm, you notice a dramatic shift. In the first 12 verses, Asaph focuses on those around him. The verses are filled with “they” and “their.” But midway through the psalm, the pronouns change. The verses are filled with “You” as Asaph finds his delight in God rather than focusing on those around him. Our delight in God replaces our envy of others.
His conclusion after meeting with God is that delighting in God is better than anything we can envy. He essentially says, “I envied things in this world, but after delighting in You, I know that earth has nothing I desire that can compare to You. I have nothing but God, but that means what I have is far better that what the wicked have.”
God’s presence is my good.
