Commentary - Psalm 73:27-28

Bird's-eye view

Psalm 73 is a raw and honest confession of a faith crisis, one that every serious believer has either had, is having, or will have. The psalmist, Asaph, begins by stating the orthodox conclusion, "Truly God is good to Israel," but then immediately confesses that his feet had almost slipped. Why? Because he saw the prosperity of the wicked and it rattled him. They were arrogant, healthy, and wealthy, while he, a faithful man, was plagued and chastened daily. The turning point, the hinge of the entire psalm, comes when he goes into the sanctuary of God. It is there, in the presence of God, that he gains an eternal perspective. He sees their end, and he sees his eternal good.

These final two verses are the triumphant conclusion, the settled resolution after the storm of doubt has passed. Asaph has been to the edge of the cliff, looked over into the abyss of envy and unbelief, and has been pulled back by the gracious hand of God. Now, standing on solid rock, he states the great antithesis, the fundamental divide of all humanity. There are only two kinds of people in the world: those who are far from God and those who are near to Him. The end of the first group is destruction. The good of the second group is God Himself. The psalm therefore concludes not with a complaint, but with a settled conviction and a declared purpose: to take refuge in God and to tell everyone about His marvelous works.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 73 is the first psalm in Book Three of the Psalter (Psalms 73-89). This section of the Psalms is generally darker in tone than the first two books, often wrestling with the problem of God's seeming absence or inaction in the face of national disaster and personal suffering. The exile is a looming shadow over many of these psalms. Psalm 73 sets the stage for this section by tackling one of the most profound theological problems: theodicy, or the justice of God, especially in light of the prosperity of the wicked. Asaph's personal struggle becomes a corporate lesson for Israel. His journey from envy to worship provides the framework for how the faithful are to process the apparent injustices of the world. They must, like Asaph, enter the sanctuary and see things from God's perspective. These final verses serve as the anchor, the firm conclusion that the rest of the book will build upon: despite appearances, God is just, nearness to Him is our only good, and His enemies will perish.

Verse by Verse Commentary

Verse 27

For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed everyone who is unfaithful to You.

For, behold, those who are far from You will perish... Asaph begins his conclusion with a sharp summons to attention: "behold." Look here. See this. This is the truth that cuts through all the confusion. After wrestling with the apparent success of the wicked, he now sees their situation with Spirit-illumined eyes. The great issue is not their health or their wealth, but their distance from God. To be "far from" God is not a geographical problem, but a spiritual one. It is a state of alienation, of rebellion, of being outside the covenant of grace. And the end of that road is not prosperity, but ruin. They "will perish." This is not a maybe; it is a certainty. The verb is prophetic. From the vantage point of the sanctuary, their destruction is as good as done. This is the fixed reality of a universe governed by a holy God.

You have destroyed everyone who is unfaithful to You. The second clause intensifies and explains the first. Who are those who are "far from" God? They are those who are "unfaithful" to Him. The Hebrew word here is often used for marital infidelity, for playing the harlot. This is covenant language. Israel was to be the bride of Yahweh, faithful to Him alone. The wicked, whether inside or outside the visible covenant community, are those who go whoring after other gods, money, power, self, you name it. They have broken faith with their Creator. And notice the verb tense: "You have destroyed." Asaph is so certain of this future judgment that he can speak of it as something already accomplished in the decree of God. God has already passed sentence. The execution of that sentence in time is just a matter of course. This is the terrible end for all who refuse to have God as their God.

Verse 28

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have set Lord Yahweh as my refuge, That I may recount all Your works.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good... Here is the great contrast, the "but" that divides two eternities. Over there is the perishing of those far from God. But here, for Asaph, is something entirely different. "But as for me." This is personal. This is confessional. This is the testimony of a man who has been turned inside out by grace. What is his ultimate treasure? What is the sum of all his desires, the very definition of what is "good" for him? It is not a bigger tent or fatter sheep. It is "the nearness of God." To be near God is to be in relationship with Him, to have access to Him, to be in His presence. This is the chief end of man. This is what we were made for. Asaph has come to see that having God is better than having all the things the wicked have. Their good is in their stuff, which is passing away. His good is in God Himself, who is eternal.

I have set Lord Yahweh as my refuge... This nearness is not a vague, sentimental feeling. It is a decisive act of faith. "I have set," or "I have made." This is a conscious choice, a deliberate entrusting of his entire life and being into the hands of God. He has taken refuge in the "Lord Yahweh." He runs to the sovereign, covenant-keeping God for safety. When the storms of doubt and envy were threatening to sweep him away, he ran into the fortress of God's character and promises. The world is a dangerous place, filled with snares and temptations, as this psalm so vividly illustrates. The only safe place is in God. To make God your refuge is to cease trusting in yourself, your own understanding, or the apparent realities of the world, and to bank everything on Him.

That I may recount all Your works. And what is the result, the purpose, the overflow of finding this ultimate good and this secure refuge? It is testimony. "That I may recount all Your works." His personal deliverance and spiritual enlightenment are not for his private enjoyment alone. They are meant to be declared. The man who has truly found his good in God cannot keep quiet about it. He becomes a storyteller of grace, a recounter of the mighty acts of God. This brings the psalm full circle. It began with a man on the verge of apostasy, his mouth silenced by confusion. It ends with a man whose mouth is opened in praise and proclamation. He has a story to tell, and it is the story of all of God's works, the works of creation, providence, and, above all, redemption. He has been saved for a purpose, and that purpose is to make much of God.

Application

This psalm is a gift to the church because it gives us permission to be honest with God. Asaph's doubt was not the sin; the sin would have been remaining in that doubt and allowing his envy to curdle into unbelief. Instead, he took his trouble to the right place, the sanctuary of God. For us, the sanctuary is not a physical building but Christ Himself. When we are tempted to envy the wicked, when the world's definition of "the good life" seems so much more attractive than the path of costly discipleship, we must run into the presence of God through Christ.

In that place of communion, we must recalibrate our definition of "good." The world screams that good is comfort, wealth, and freedom from trouble. Asaph teaches us, and the whole of Scripture confirms, that our only true and lasting good is the nearness of God. Is He your treasure? Is being near Him the thing you want most? If it is, then the prosperity of those who are far from Him will cease to be a temptation and will instead become an object of pity. You have the substance; they are chasing shadows.

Finally, let your experience of God's goodness and refuge overflow into testimony. Our world is perishing because it is far from God. They need to hear of His works. They need to hear your story. How has God been your refuge? How have you found nearness to Him to be your good? Don't keep it to yourself. Recount His works, to your children, to your neighbor, to the church. This is how faith spreads. This is how God gets the glory He is due.