My Hand in His

Good morning,

Having studied 2 Thessalonians over the past few days, we are going to move on to 1 Corinthians soon.  But first, let's take a brief dip back into the Old Testament songs for just one day.  The psalms were songs, you know, although they appear as poetry to us.  I've always wondered what the original music sounded like.

Today's text is Psalm 73, a psalm of Asaph.  Most of the psalms were written by David, but not this one.  In fact, there were a total of 12 psalms ascribed to Asaph, who was not only a composer, but also a singer and a "seer" according to 2 Chronicles 29:30.  Some have thought that these 12 psalms were not written by Asaph, but were merely allocated to him for the purposes of singing them.  In reverse, though, no one says that about the psalms of David.  So, I tend to believe that Asaph truly wrote all 12 of these psalms which bear his name.

Well, the theme of Psalm 73 is that age-old lament, "why do the wicked prosper and seem to get away with their dastardly deeds?"  (vs. 4-12)  The psalmist admits that he has fallen into the trap of envying these people (vs. 4), which led to his heart becoming grieved and his spirit bitter (vs. 21). He seems to have written this psalm to affirm his allegiance to Jehovah God, which he does in verses 23-28.  These are some of my favorite verses!

23 

Yet I am always with you;

    you hold me by my right hand.

24 

You guide me with your counsel,

    and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 

Whom have I in heaven but you?

    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 

My flesh and my heart may fail,

    but God is the strength of my heart

    and my portion forever.

"Yet" is a pivotal word, in verse 23.  In spite of the battle of his double-nature (human nature warring with his regenerated spirit, verses 21-22), "YET, I am always with you because you hold me by my right hand." (vs. 23)  Isn't that a beautiful image?  God holds on to us.  It is because of His steadfastness that He holds on to us when we stumble into sin; it is not because of our goodness that we remain connected to Him.  "My heart and my flesh may fail...."

Listen to what Charles Spurgeon1
had to say about these verses:

His God would not fail him, either as protection or a joy. His heart would be kept up by divine love, and filled eternally with divine glory. After having been driven far out to sea, Asaph casts anchor in the old port. We shall do well to follow his example. There is nothing desirable save God; let us, then, desire only him. All other things must pass away; let our hearts abide in him, who alone abideth for ever.

As we walk with Him, our hand in His, He guides and counsels us for the rest of our lives.  And then? Glory!  Eternal life with Him forever, in Heaven.

Father, I thank you that You are my "portion" forever.  At those times when my heart fails, You rescue my soul with Your boundless forgiveness and restoration.  When fear overwhelms me, You are there to re-align my focus and give me Your supernatural peace.  Earth has nothing better than You. In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:
http://www.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps073.htm