Psalm 73 -- When The Worshiper Doubts

Asaph was a music minister, and he let his thoughts take control of his heart as he saw the non-churchgoers prospering and the churchgoers having problems.  That made no sense to him.  After all, wasn’t God supposed to bless His people?  It got to the point that he asked himself “So why have I kept my heart pure?  Why have I kept my hands from doing wrong?”

He had been a believer.  He’d had a clean heart (not sinlessness, but total commitment to the Lord – my commentary).  He’d been standing on what he knew, my commentary stated.  But it seemed to him that unbelievers don’t face the problems he’d been facing.  “When pondering the mysteries of life, hold on to what you know for sure, and never doubt in the darkness what God has taught you in the light,” my commentary said.

He had become a doubter.  My commentary said there’s a difference between doubt and unbelief.  Doubt comes from a struggling mind, while unbelief comes from a stubborn will that refuses to surrender to God.”  Asaph didn’t understand that “it’s an act of disobedience to envy the wicked.”

He began to wrestle with what he saw and felt.  “Based on the evidence he could see around him, Asaph came to the wrong conclusion:  that he had wasted his time and energy maintaining clean hands and a pure heart … We don’t serve God because of what we get out of it, but because He is worthy of our worship and service regardless of what He allows to come into our lives.”

Asaph returned to the Temple to worship and get a better perspective by spending time with the Lord.  “After all, Jehovah isn’t a problem to wrestle with but a gracious Person to love and worship, especially when you are perplexed by what He is doing.  God is awesome in His sanctuary, and when we commune with Him, we see the things of this world in their right perspective.

He became a conqueror.  He figured out that “the ungodly have everything they want except God, and the godly have in God all that they want or need.  He is their portion forever.”

Father, when I wrestle with doubts, bring me before You in worship and help me to see You clearly and to remember what You have already shown me about Yourself.  Don’t let me listen to the lies and the wrong beliefs of the wicked.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford