Get a HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE from God’s PRESENCE
Get a HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE from God’s PRESENCE
"Behold, these are the ungodly,
who are always at ease; They increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my
heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been
plagued, and chastened every morning. If I had said, I will speak thus, behold,
I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. When I thought how
to understand this, it was too painful for me--until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. But
it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God,
that I may declare all Your works." (Psalms 73:12-17, 28)
Psalms 71 is
the second psalm ascribed to Asaph and the first of eleven consecutive psalms
bearing his name. It is a wisdom psalm
whose sentiments are similar to Psalm 1 and follows Psalms 37 in content. In
this psalm, Asaph explains how he became envious of the prosperous boastful
wicked (Psalm 73:3), and admits that in the midst of life’s difficulties and dangers
he perceived that evil people seem exempt from such things (v. 5). They
arrogantly refuse to consider God (v. 11), and they seem to be blessed in spite
of such arrogance (v. 12).
However,
Asaph decides to go into the sanctuary of God and spend time in His presence
and that put everything in the proper perspective. Having come to his senses,
Asaph described his change of heart as almost a conversion as he understood
what is finally going to happen to the ungodly people (v. 17). He understood
that the prosperity of sinners is only a mirage and that they are headed for
certain disaster (v. 18). In reality, the
righteous are the ones who are blessed with divine insight and guidance (v.
23–24) as they have hope in both heaven
and earth (v. 25). The righteous must therefore celebrate this hope and
share it with others who need it (v. 28).
We need to
spend time in God’s presence and see everything that is happening around us
from God’s point of view. We will get a
heavenly perspective of earthly happenings by getting closer to God. When we visualize everything from
God’s viewpoint, we will not be jealous at the prosperity of the wicked (like
Asaph). Instead, we will praise God for this blessed life and for His promise
of the eternal life that He has granted us! Our
God is everything we need – even when life seems unfair! Like the psalmist,
let us take a decision today: "One
thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in His temple." (Psalms 27:4)
"Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple." (Psalms 65:4)
