All of us would have heard the parable of the blind men and the elephant:
A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable". So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it. The first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said, "This being is like a thick snake". For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said the elephant, "is a wall". Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.
E. Bruce Goldstein (2010). Encyclopedia of Perception. SAGE Publications. p. 492. ISBN 978-1-4129-4081-8.
This tells us one clear truth that we, as humans, have a tendency to claim absolute truth based on their limited knowledge. This was the problem which confronted the writer of this Psalm. He was looking at his situation with this limited knowledge and perspective of things. I am sure most of us are guilty of the same. Let us not forget there is far more to the picture than what these mortal eyes can behold.
The psalms were the hymnbook of the Jews in the Old Testament. Most of these psalms were written by King David. Other people who wrote Psalms were Moses, Solomon, etc. Psalm 73, as mentioned in the title of the psalms, is the psalm of Asaph.
Who is this Asaph?
The Psalms of Asaph are the twelve psalms 49 and 72–82.
In Chronicles, Asaph was identified as a descendant of Gershon the son of Levi and a member of the Levites
1 Chronicles 16:4-7 – And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then dJeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God. On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord:
Here, we find Asaph as the chief of the Levites appointed to minister before the ark of the Lord, and he and his brothers are appointed to sing the psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord.
1 Chronicles 6:39 - And his brother Asaph, who stood at his right hand, was Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea
David appoints a man named Heman as the chief musician or singer and Asaph as Heman’s right hand assistant and the Merarites at his left hand.
Asaphites are also credited with performing at the dedication of Solomon’s temple in 2 Chronicles 5:12.
As you can see from above, Asaph was no ordinary man in the Lord. He was a faithful follower of God and a worship leader ministering unto God. He had a good knowledge of the Lord.
The psalm 73 reflects the doubts and frustrations of Asaph. These probably come into every righteous person’s mind.
He begins the Psalm declaring the goodness of God.
Psalm 73:1 - Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart.
Asaph knew that the Lord was good. He knew that the Lord was always good to His people. This is very true.
Psalm 31:19 - Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!
Psalm 73:2
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped.
Why did Asaph suddenly stumble? Why did his steps nearly slip? What happened to the confidence of Asaph in the Lord’s goodness.
What he had learned about God did not go along with what he had experienced in the world. As a result, he was confused over several things. Notice what Asaph was confused about:
1. Prosperity of the wicked:
Psalm 73:3 - For I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Asaph saw the wicked prospering and the children of God suffering. He wondered how a good God could allow his children to suffer and the wicked to prosper. We all would have had this question at some point in our lives. We would probably have seen our good neighbors suffering a deadly disease or a wicked person indulged in all habits prospering and in all good health.
2. Peace of the wicked:
Psalm 73:4 - For there are no pangs in their death, But their strength is firm.
Asaph saw the wicked living in their sins and still dying a peaceful death and it disturbed him.
3. Trouble free life of the wicked:
Psalm 73: 5 -They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like other men.
4. Abundance of the wicked:
Psalm 73:7 - Their eyes bulge with abundance; They have more than heart could wish.
Psalm 73:12 - Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches.
5. Pride of the wicked:
Psalm 73:6 - Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.
The peace and abundance of the wicked make them very proud, and they are violent because they see no troubles in their way because of their wickedness.
So much so that they despise God.
Psalm 73:8,9 - They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily.
They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walks through the earth.
And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?” (Psalm 73:11)
Try preaching the gospel to them and they would despise the gospel and the Lord.
This is a kind of confusion that we all face. We all misinterpret the Lord’s goodness based on our set of beliefs! Most often, we believe that if we live the right lives doing right things, then God is bound to bless us with all his goodness. Ask Job if that was true? Time and again, the Lord allows things in our lives that are really hard to bear. This may be unpleasing for us but it is absolutely necessary to mold us into His image.
Asaph was pondering over all these things, and he became bitter in his heart. He concluded saying:
Psalm 73:13, 14 - Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning.
Psalm 73:15,16 - If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me
He looked at all these and tried to understand but it just broke his heart. But he could not speak it outside, since he served the Lord and he knew that if he said it outside, he would lead others down the same path of despair.
With his troubled mind, Asaph takes a wise decision.
Psalm 73:17 - Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.
All these while, Asaph had a man’s perspective of the things around him like the blind men who looked at the elephant in only one perspective. As he went to the place of worship and was absorbed in His presence, his perspective of things changed. Now, he started seeing everything in the new light. It was now God oriented. Notice what became clear to Asaph when he went to the Temple. He receives different revelations of the
1. Asaph realized the future of the sinner
Psalm 73:18 - 20
Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.
He realized that although the wicked live their lives to the fullest satisfaction here on earth, it is only for a temporary moment.
Psalm 90:10 - The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
All these will come to an end when their soul leaves the body and then they would face the eternity in hell.
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9: In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We need to be well-aware that the pleasures of this world are the only Heaven they know! That should grieve our hearts rather than making us jealous. While the wicked may appear to prosper, they have no hope and, in the end, will definitely experience the judgement of God.
In the after world, where will the wicked find themselves? No wonder, Hell! Do you want to end up that way or do you want to live eternally in Heaven with Christ, the Lord?
Let us not forget what the Lord said to the rich fool who thought of eating, drinking and being merry, not worried about eternity.
Luke 19:19, 20:
And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
And for sure, his soul would go to Hell because he was foolish enough to not seek the Lord and was not rich towards God.
2. Asaph realized his own foolishness
Psalm 73: 21-22 Thus my heart was grieved, And I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.
Asaph realized that so long he was looking at things at the wrong perspective and now he realizes its foolishness.
Often times when we think of our past, we realize that we had acted foolishly and immaturely.
Similarly, there are many things which seem to be right and wise in our eyes, but it is only when we go to the presence of God do we realize that it is foolishness.
How many times have we said, “God doesn’t hear!, God doesn’t care! God doesn’t exist!” “Why me Lord” in our troubled times? Instead of trusting God at His word, we have looked at our circumstances and doubted the Word of God.
Illustration:
Arthur Ashe was the first black man to win the U.S. Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon. During a heart surgery in 1983, he got infected by the blood that he received and contracted AIDS.
From all over the world, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: “Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease”?
To this, Arthur Ashe replied:
“The world over — 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis,
500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals,
when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD ‘Why me?’.
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD ‘Why me?’ ”
(Source - https://www.essentiallysports.com/the-why-me-story-by-arthur-ashe/ )
As Asaph continued in the presence of God, he receives greater revelation.
3. He realized that God was by His side all the time
Psalm 73:23-24
Nevertheless, I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Asaph now realizes that even amidst his storms, he is not left alone. The Lord is there to protect him and guide him. It is not without God’s knowledge that those storms are hitting our lives. Our storms are not storms to God.
It is the same promise that the Lord has given all of us.
Matthew 28:20 - Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age
Jeremiah 32:27 - Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?
4. He desired nothing but God
Psalm 73:25-26
Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
So long, Asaph’s mind was set on earthly things. He was seeing the prosperity and abundance of the wicked and that troubled his heart. But as he continued in God’s presence, he came to the point of desiring nothing but God.
This is the desire and the longing that any person in the presence of God would experience.
We find David desiring the same:
Psalm 63:1 - O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.
In the dry and thirsty land, when our flesh would long for water to drink, David’s flesh and soul longed for God.
Psalm 42:1 - As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.
He forgot the pleasure of the wicked. Instead, he enjoyed his time in the presence of the Lord. He found a deep sense of sufficiency and satisfaction that he had God with him.
5. He no longer envied the wicked
Psalm 73:27-28
For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works.
Finally, Asaph arrived at the place of seeing things from God’s perspective. No longer did he envy the prosperity of the wicked. For he knew they were doomed to destruction. Rather, he realized that despite all the hardships, children of God have a reason to shout out. They are assured of eternal glory unlike the wicked. Asaph finally came to an understanding that it is better to draw near to God and trust in him rather than to have share with the pleasures of the wicked.
David had this similar realization
Psalm 84:10 - Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
The same is true with us as well. As we learn to trust in the Lord and enjoy his presence, we realize that that contentment in far greater than finding contentment in earthly things that will pass away.
This is the place where every believer needs to come. When life problems throw you down, do what Asaph did.
Psalm 73:17 - Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.
It is noteworthy that there was no change in Asaph’s circumstances. However, there is a change in the way he saw the situation and the way he viewed God. Most times, we ask God to change our circumstances. On the other hand, He changes us. Asaph has now found an answer to the question that was burning deep inside the heart. Asaph’s doubt is now replaced with confidence that the Lord holds his right hand, will guide him and receive him in glory.
