November 5
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THE NEARNESS OF GOD IS GOOD FOR ME
When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,
22 Then I was stupid and ignorant;
I was like an animal before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
24 You will guide me with Your plan,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom do I have in heaven but You?
And with You, I desire nothing on earth.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
28 But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
So that I may tell of all Your works.- Psalm 73:21-28
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In this psalm, Asaph continue with his confession to the Lord. In verse 21, he repents of bitterness that actually pierced him inside and in verse 22, he admits being foolish and compared himself to an animal before God. We tend to be savages when we forget how God has created us. He made us in His own image. In verses 23-24, he turns around with giving God credit for his faithfulness to Him, despite all his natural tendencies to sin. He looks up to the promise of being with the Lord when he is faithful. Verse 26 declares his submission to God. He declares that God is the source of all his strength and that he is his portion. In verse 27, he cautions those who are turning their backs on God and who is far from him. Destruction is the consequence of such rejection of the Lord. The highlight of the whole psalm lies in verse 28. He declares that abiding in God is the only way we can receive our salvation. He made a decision that he will only serve God and that He will rely on Him for his safety. He will shout to all of God’s goodness and all that He has done for His people.
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REFLECTION
• Why is the knowledge of God being near to you essential in our lives?