Having just listened to Shane and Shane's song "My Portion," I thought I'd post a journal entry from a few months ago that refers to the same Psalm:
"For a long time, Psalm 73:25-26 has been one of my favorite verses:
'Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.'
As I read this whole psalm this morning, I understood more of it than I had before.
The author recounts a time when he lost hope in God. Seeing that evil people often experience ease and prosperity, he feels that his obedience to God is pointless:
'Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.' (v. 13-14)
It really is disheartening that godly people so often suffer, and evil people are often spared. It makes the case for living however we want so that we can at least experience short-term gratification.
The author's mindset changed, though, when he 'entered the sanctuary of God; then [he] understood their final destiny' (v. 17).
The point is that walking with God--whatever the circumstances are--is worthwhile because there is much more to our lives than just this earth. Evil people will meet their destruction, and their suffering will be permanent. On the other hand, those who follow God experience a joy deeper and longer-lasting than any earthly prosperity:
'Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory' (v. 23-24).
It's at this point that the author realizes the foolishness of his doubt ('My feet had almost slipped...I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.')
The fact is, by nature we are like senseless animals compared to God. The difference between our intelligence and wisdom and God's is immeasurable.
It's all by God's grace that we even have the capacity to understand his ways.
I am so grateful for the truth this passage highlights. Christians may seem--and feel--like we're missing out on the good things in life, and that we reap suffering for the good we do. But the truth is that because life is eternal, believers are rich. We have God, the ultimate treasure (strength, portion) both now and for eternity." (January 7, 2010)
