As For Me (Psalm 73)

“Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.” - Psalm 73:12

 

You might be surprised to hear that these words were penned by Asaph, a worship leader in the house of the Lord, appointed by King David himself (1 Chronicles 6:31-32, 39; 1 Chronicles 16). But maybe you aren’t that surprised, because you have wrestled with similar thoughts yourself. 

 

“Why do the wicked men prosper? Why do I envy the proud?” When you look at the world, you see the ways evil has prospered. You can see it in the devastation of war; you can see it when injustice prevails; you can see it in discrimination and hatred; you can see it in broken marriages; you can see it in the moral failings of respected leaders; you can see it in abuse endured by the vulnerable. Why does this happen, you ask yourself. Or maybe, deep down, what you’re really asking is, God, why did you let this happen?

 

If you have ever doubted God, you are not alone. Many believers have walked through difficult seasons of doubt with the Lord, and still many more will. We are only human. Wrestling and questioning are common experiences in the Bible and are common among Christians. Psalm 73 is just one of many examples. 

 

What makes Psalm 73 unique is the way that Asaph, this faithful leader of God’s people, processes his doubt with God. He doesn’t deny what he’s thinking; he doesn’t shy away from it. He brings it directly to God, because he knows God’s character. We can learn a healthy way to process our doubt from the way Asaph penned Psalm 73. So, if you are struggling today with doubt, begin to put yourself in Asaph’s shoes. 

 

Why do the wicked men prosper? 

Why do I envy the proud? 

They scoff and they rage and defile Your Name, 

Still riches and favor abound. 

 

Asaph spends the first half of Psalm 73 naming his doubt to God and making his case (Ps 73:2-14). He gives all the evidence for how the wicked have prospered even in their rebellion against God. This song gives us the opportunity to express our questions from the very beginning and to lament what we see around us. 

 

Next, Asaph begins to challenge his doubts by drawing near to God. 

 

“But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.” Psalm 73:16-17

 

We, like Asaph, are invited to turn our attention to God – who has promised to be our strength – and ask for his help. Often, in moments like these, we have to speak the truth to our feelings. We may not feel like God is our strength or that He is good but, in faith, we choose to sing it over ourselves:

 

Lord, would you keep me from stumbling? 

Guard me from all of my doubts. 

My heart and my flesh, though they fail me again, 

You are the strength I have found.

 

It is in God’s presence that Asaph begins to see that the wicked are “destroyed in a moment” (Ps 73:19), and that God is continually holding onto him and guiding him (Ps 73:23-24). He realizes that “it is good to be near God” (Ps 73:28) because, in His presence, he sees things as they are. With our brother Asaph, we join in singing, “As for me, Your presence is my good,” declaring it over and over again until our hearts believe it. In God’s presence, we find His perspective and counsel and are assured of His good character.

 

Toward the end of the psalm, Asaph declares:

 

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:25-26

 

Truly, who else would we run to? There is no one else we can turn to in our doubts and distress to find relief. No other god would hear our questions and respond to us with covenant faithfulness, strengthening our world-weary hearts and giving us Himself as our reward. So take heart, friend. Your God will not abandon you to your doubts. 

 

Faithful You are to remind me, 

Faithful to show me the truth. 

Finally I see You are all that I need,

And all that I need is in You.

 

Let this song be your prayer today – your act of faith. Bring your whole self to God, talk to Him about your questions, and seek His nearness. It is so good to be near Him. It is your highest good. 

 

For more on this topic, watch “Navigating Doubt As A Leader.”