students of jesus

It’s not right to discover treasure and keep it to yourself. I stumbled across Psalm 73 decades ago, and the more I’ve shared it with friends, the more it has meant to me. And not just me: in his classic commentary of the Psalms, Charles Spurgeon calls it “the narrative of a great soul battle, a spiritual Marathon, a hard and well fought field, in which the half defeated became in the end wholly victorious.”

Like diamonds resting on the surface, I’ve gathered a few gems from this encouraging Psalm. It has re-directed and revived my life more than once. I’ve memorized—and sang—more than one of these verses. 

May I suggest this? Open your Bible to Psalm 73, lay it next to this post, and follow along. After all, the inspired text is more important than my paltry observations! My great hope is you will discover more of God’s goodness in the next few minutes.

Psalm 73

Verse 1 ~ It takes purity of heart to see God's goodness. (But it is possible.)

Verses 2-3 ~ In the context of this Psalm "purity" is avoiding the trap of envy. It is a slippery slope—the worst. We think our thoughts hurt no one, but we forget what they can do to us.

Verses 4-12 ~ These words are just plain un-true: But they feel so true whenever I find myself envious of the worldly success of others. This passage is an example of how the scripture is “true” but is not urging us to adopt these ideas.

Verses 4-12 ~ Just like the note above, my depressed and hopeless heart bears witness to these words. God help my heart!

Verses13-14 ~ In this secret place of my depressed heart, it feels like obeying God is a sucker's game, filled with punishment and plagues.

Verse 15 ~ But I dare not utter these words. Speaking them out loud brings a greater harm: if I give voice to these thoughts, I will hurt my brothers and sisters. (This means that sometimes I can keep faith by simply being silent and waiting.)

Verse 16 ~ Some things are beyond the abilities of my finite brain. When I engage and embrace such questions, I oppress myself.

Verses16-17 ~ The most important things in life are not a matter of reason, but a matter of his presence.

Verses 18-20 ~ My envy is a personal slippery slope, but the slippery slope of the wicked is that they've built their lives on illusions and lies. Sooner or later the slippery slope will cause them to fall.

Verses 21-22 ~ Bitterness toward God—to have a grievance with him—turns me into a brute beast. (Beasts are ugly and crude; if I am honest I will acknowledge there are times when I have been exactly that.)

Verses 23-24 ~ But the truth, the reality of creation, is that he is always close at hand—close enough to hold my hand, whisper in my ear, and lead me to glory.

Verses 25-26 ~ Where do I set my desire? Honestly: what do I consider to be "my portion?" Consider the bounty of having the Infinite God of the universe as our portion; and the folly of substituting the finite for the Infinite.

Verses 27-28 ~ Wickedness will be destroyed. If I can hang on I'll have a new song to sing.

What a beautiful closing: “As for me, the nearness of God is my good.” This is my prayer for you, friends.

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