When Holding on Is Hard, God Holds onto Me

“Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand, You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” -Psalm 73:23-26 (ESV) [Read Psalm 73]

Psalm 73 is the opening Psalm of Book Three division of the Psalms. This section contains Psalms 73-89. The tone is somewhat dark in Book Three of the Psalms. For example, the opening Psalm in this division starkly questions God’s justice. But then in verses 23-26 the writer comes to realize that a personal relationship is the way to recognize that God is still at work and is holding onto those who love and serve Him faithfully.

Although we desire a nation that fears and serves God, when we think about it, and use the analogy of a chain being only as strong as its weakest link, we come to the conclusion, as did Asaph to whom the writing of Psalm 73 is attributed, that it is the individual who is responsible for being “continually with God” and depending on His counsel, as expressed so strongly in Psalm 73:23. To identify Asaph, we note in 1 Chronicles 15:16-19 that he, Heman and Ethan (also known as Jeduthun) were Levites who were worship leaders and musicians in the sanctuary during King David’s reign. Twelve Psalms 50 and 73-83 are attributed to Asaph. Psalm 73 deals with the age-old question of “Why do the righteous suffer and the ungodly seem to prosper?” Psalm 73 gives five stages of seeking to answer this universal question:

1. The believer stands on what he knows (v. 1).
2. The doubter slips from where he once stood (vv. 2-3)
3. The wrestler struggles with what he feels and sees (vv. 4-14)
4. The worshiper sees the bigger picture (vv.15-22)
5. The conqueror rejoices over God’s goodness (23-26)¹

Asaph comes to a wonderful conclusion: “But for me, it is good to be near G0d; I have made the Lord my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.” (v. 28).

Looking back over the years of my life, I can see high points and low, times of doubt and times of great assurance. But I can testify to the strength of this Psalm’s testimony. The times of questioning “Why” do come, but through the darkness an eternal light always shines to show forth God’s light and His way. With the Psalmist the believe can say triumphantly: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. But for me, it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works!”  (Psalm 73:26, 28, ESV). When holding on is hard, God holds onto me. Selah!

-Ethelene Dyer Jones 03.13.2016

1 Warren W. Wiersbe. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary. OT. “Psalms.” Colorado Springs, Co: David Cook. 2007. Pp. 953-954.