Psalms 73: Until I Entered the Sanctuary
Asaph nearly slips when he envies the prosperous wicked, until worship gives him an eternal perspective and he finds God his portion forever.
Psalms 73 (WEB)
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5 They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
8 They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
11 They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence,
14 For all day long have I been plagued, and punished every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus”; behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
18 Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
19 How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
20 As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21 For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
22 I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
24 You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
28 But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Psalms 73 (KJV)
1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28 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 thy works.
Psalms 73 (ASV)
1 Surely God is good to Israel, Evento such as are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; My steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the arrogant, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pangs in their death; But their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble asothermen; Neither are they plagued likeothermen.
6 Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; Violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish.
8 They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily.
9 They have set their mouth in the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: And waters of a fullcupare drained by them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Behold, these are the wicked; And, being alway at ease, they increase in riches.
13 Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart, And washed my hands in innocency;
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning.
15 If I had said, I will speak thus; Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought how I might know this, It was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God, And considered their latter end.
18 Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction.
19 How are they become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image.
21 For my soul was grieved, And I was pricked in my heart:
22 So brutish was I, and ignorant; I wasasa beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden my right hand.
24 Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heavenbut thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth; ButGod is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that play the harlot, departing from thee.
28 But it is good for me to draw near unto God: I have made the Lord Jehovah my refuge, That I may tell of all thy works.
Summary
This wisdom psalm, opening the third book of the Psalter, gives a strikingly honest account of a faith crisis. Asaph begins with the conclusion he eventually reaches—"Surely God is good to Israel"—but immediately confesses how close he came to losing his footing. He was envious of the arrogant when he saw the prosperity of the wicked, who seem free from trouble, healthy, proud, and increasing in riches while scoffing, "How does God know?" Meanwhile he felt that his own clean heart and innocent hands had been in vain, plagued all day long. The turning point comes in verse 17: "Until I entered God's sanctuary, and considered their latter end." Worship reframes everything; he sees that the wicked stand in slippery places and will be swept away like a dream. Ashamed of his bitter, brutish thinking, Asaph rediscovers a deeper truth: "Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand." His treasure is not the prosperity he envied but God himself—"God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." The psalm models how to bring our doubts honestly to God and find them resolved in his presence, where Christ himself becomes our everlasting portion.
Voices
- Asaph — The worship leader who nearly stumbles over the prosperity of the wicked until the sanctuary restores his perspective.
- The wicked — The arrogant and prosperous who seem carefree and scoff at God, yet stand in slippery places headed for ruin.
- God — The One who holds Asaph's hand, guides him with counsel, and is the strength of his heart and his portion forever.
Key Verse
Psalm 73:26 (WEB)
My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Lessons Learned
- Envying the prosperity of the wicked can nearly cause even faithful people to lose their footing.
- Worship and entering God's presence give us the eternal perspective that resolves our doubts.
- The apparent success of the wicked is fragile and fleeting; their end is sudden ruin.
- God himself, not earthly comfort, is the believer's true and everlasting portion.
- Honesty about doubt is welcome. "My feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped" (Psalm 73:2, WEB); Asaph names his near-fall plainly, showing God can handle our struggles.
- Worship reframes everything. "Until I entered God's sanctuary, and considered their latter end" (Psalm 73:17, WEB); the turning point comes when Asaph sees life from God's presence.
- God holds us even when we falter. "Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand" (Psalm 73:23, WEB); our security rests in God's grip, not our own steadiness.
- God is our portion forever. "God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:26, WEB); when everything else fails, God himself remains our lasting inheritance.
- What specifically made Asaph envious, and how did it nearly cause him to slip (vv. 2-14)?
- Why was the sanctuary (v. 17) the turning point in resolving his crisis?
- How does Asaph describe the "latter end" of the wicked, and how does that reframe their prosperity?
- What does it mean to call God "the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (v. 26)?
- Where are you tempted to envy those who seem to prosper apart from God, and how might worship reshape your view?
- Asaph envied the wicked who seemed carefree, healthy, proud, and ever richer (vv. 3-12), while his own clean life felt useless and plagued (vv. 13-14). The contrast nearly convinced him that following God was in vain.
- In worship he gained God's eternal perspective and "considered their latter end" (v. 17). Stepping into God's presence lifted his eyes from the present moment to the final outcome, exposing the wicked's prosperity as fragile.
- He sees they stand in "slippery places" and are "suddenly destroyed... swept away with terrors" (vv. 18-19), like a dream that vanishes on waking. Their security is an illusion; their end reveals how little they truly had.
- It means that even when body and emotions give way, God remains the believer's true source of stability and inheritance. Asaph's treasure shifts from the prosperity he envied to God himself, who never fails.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name where comparison or envy unsettles them, and to consider how regular worship reorients their hearts. As leader, gently affirm that bringing such struggles into God's presence, as Asaph did, is the path to peace.