Book 3: Psalms 73-89
A shorter collection led by Asaph, one of David’s chief musicians, plus a few others from the Sons of Korah (Levitical musicians) without individual attribution, and a handful of others. A general theme tying them together seems to be the power of worship in the sanctuary.
Psalm 73
Asaph points out how worship can bring you peace over perplexing questions. Taking us back to the basic question addressed in Job, this is not simply a rehash of the question and ultimate answer, but how clarifying your heart’s commitment to God can help you see things in this world differently.
He begins by celebrating how God cares for His people, but is particularly mindful of those who seek Him for a pure heart. The image evokes the simplicity of commitment to God’s revelation. Then follows a stirring story of how easy it is to lose that faith. Asaph denies that he is better than anyone else. For example, he was caught in the vicious circle of common reasoning about the wealthy who were wicked.
For several verses he goes on about those who are worldly and successful. They serve the god of their own comfort and advantage. Why does walking in God’s Law not consistently pay off that well? Why do those who seek righteousness always catch hell? Asaph was at a loss for words; he couldn’t bring himself to confess against the Scripture, but he struggled with the misery and apparent failure of the promises.
That is, until he spent time with God in ritual worship — and then it all made sense. We are supposed to pick up on the subtle point that worship brings your consciousness above the mere physical realm of sense and logic. It pulls you up out of yourself and into a higher realm of moral awareness.
While it may seem the wicked wealthy are comfortable, they are morally blind. They don’t see where their lives are headed. When they die, they face the terror of God’s eternal wrath. Once he recovered this higher moral awareness, Asaph felt ashamed of himself. Please notice what a contrast that is between Asaph, and by implication anyone else who is morally aware, versus those with no moral awareness at all. We who walk in moral enlightenment see ourselves for what we really are as fallen creatures. We live in the land of penitence.
By this we know that God has chosen to accept us, because He keeps His holiness and mercy alive in us simultaneously. We know that our sense of unworthiness is a mark of His favor. So Asaph rejoices that his eternal destiny is with the Creator. No one else can do it for you. It matters not who we have known that might go to Heaven if we don’t individually know the God who made it all and revealed His divine justice.
Meanwhile, those who lack a sense of torment over their sinful nature are dead to eternity. This life is all they have, and they really don’t even have that. They are dead already and don’t know it. Asaph celebrates his trust in God and willingly speaks of His glory.
