God’s Perspective

 

Truly, God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart.

—Psalms 73:1

 

Asaph began Psalm 73 with the same truth expressed in the last few verses of the psalm—that God is good to those who are pure in heart. In this psalm, Asaph describes the process he underwent to reach such a conclusion.  

 

In Psalm 73:2-12, Asaph described the apparent superiority of the ungodly over the godly. In Psalm 73:13-16, he wrote of his internal conflict regarding this injustice. Finally, in Psalm 73:17-28, he provided the perspective he gained when he sought God.

 

Nearly everyone who seeks to deny themselves and please the Lord has experienced the same thoughts as Asaph. There are times when the ungodly seem happier and more blessed than the righteous. But that is an illusion. Their happiness isn’t true joy, and it is short-lived. A judgment is coming when the righteous will shine as the sun (Matthew 13:43).

 

The only way to properly view this difference is through the eyes of the Lord. That is what Asaph experienced in Psalm 73:17 when he entered the sanctuary of God and gained understanding: “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.”

 

Prosperity for the ungodly is as dangerous as walking on a slippery slope (Psalm 73:18). The apparent prosperity of the wicked is fragile; in an instant, it can all change. God said there is no peace for the wicked (Isaiah 48:22, 57:21). In the deepest part of their hearts, those who don’t know the Lord are not at peace. They can only have true peace when they obtain God’s grace through faith in what Jesus Christ did (Romans 5:1-2). 

 

Unless the ungodly repent and put their faith in the Lord, they will be despised, along with all their wealth and accomplishments (Psalm 73:20). “And He said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God’” (Luke 16:15). The grandeur that means so much to carnal people means nothing to God (Psalm 62:9). 

 

By looking at the ungodly with spiritual sight, Asaph recognized how foolish his envious thoughts were (Psalm 73:21). Those who envy the prosperity of the wicked, as Asaph described in Psalm 73:1-13, resemble animals that see and think only with their heads, lacking the understanding that their hearts provide (Psalm 73:22). God remained with Asaph despite his foolish envy (Psalm 73:23). “For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14).

 

We, too, often think with our heads and lack the understanding and perspective God provides in our hearts when we seek Him. God is always faithful to show us the truth (John 15:26, 16:13). All we need to do is listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His counsel; the revelation of His truth will guide us to Him (Psalm 73:24). 

 

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25).

 

Asaph’s attitude in this verse puts the apparent success of the wicked into proper perspective. He expressed that he now understood God was everything he desired in heaven or on earth; nothing else could satisfy him. When we seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all the things God has for us to prosper in life will be added (Matthew 6:33).

 

Your personal strength has limits, but God’s strength is limitless (Psalm 73:26). When you continually abide in Him and trust Him, you can do everything in His power (Philippians 4:13). Regardless of how things may appear, a day of reckoning is coming. Only those who place their trust in the Lord will endure it (Psalm 73:27).

 

There was a time when Asaph thought it was useless to seek the Lord (Psalm 73:13-14). However, he finally understood that only those who seek God are truly living. Only those who view things from God’s perspective can declare the true works of God (Psalm 73:28).

 

Psalm 73 teaches us to seek God’s perspective and not to judge anything based on our human understanding. Sometimes, we think we see clearly regarding certain matters. Often, we believe that we have the right perspective. However, in reality, that issue may only appear to be something it really isn’t. We always need the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s perspective in everything.

 

Asaph found God’s perspective in the sanctuary. Sanctuary means “a place of refuge.” The Holy Spirit is your inner retreat to seek God’s perspective. Whatever the issue that creates internal conflict, the third person of the Godhead is where you find God’s revelation. The Holy Spirit imparts understanding of the Word so you can spiritually see God’s perspective. The Word only becomes truth with the power to transform your life when the Holy Spirit quickens it to your heart. 

 

As with Asaph, God remains with us despite our misguided perspectives when we lack His understanding. However, He wants us to seek His knowledge because He desires His insight to transform us. Do you actively seek the revelation of the Holy Spirit? Have you trusted the Lord and sought His understanding of what you believe and whether it is true regarding issues that trouble you? God’s truth will challenge any belief you hold that does not align with it. Like Asaph, you may experience internal conflict, but you can also choose to pursue more than what you have encountered. You can seek God’s understanding and perspective through the revelation of the Holy Spirit. 

 

The truth you don’t know will leave you to perish (Hosea 4:6). Without knowing God’s truth and His perspective, you will endure the evil of the wicked and the wicked one. Like the apparent superiority of the wicked to Asaph, the enemy will seem greater than the promises of God. Often, he will seem to have won. But he hasn’t. Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil. Satan is a defeated foe with only the power you grant him. The wicked one, just like the wicked, does not prosper. 

 

Without the Holy Spirit’s revelation of God’s Word, you cannot be transformed from the inside out. You will not understand God’s truth regarding the issues you face, nor will you experience God’s peace or the power of His truth to transform you. Asaph ultimately realized that those who seek God are the ones who truly possess life. God wants you to know you have a life the enemy cannot touch (1 John 5:18). He desires you to reach those who don’t know Him with the life-changing truth of the Gospel that begins from within. However, only believers who understand God’s perspective can experience Christ alive in them, transforming their hearts to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of those who don’t know Him (Psalm 73:28).

 

God is so good to those who have a pure heart. The Holy Spirit provides perspective on what it means to have Christ alive within you. Do you know Him and the power of His resurrection? Seek the Holy Spirit’s insight into God’s Word; it will transform your life.

 

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