Psalm 73: Until I came to the sanctuary

koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungbook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

19 March 2010

The remnant of God are pure and the Lord keeps them pure. "Be perfect for I am perfect", the Lord says to His remnant of all generations.

Asaph wrote this psalm 73 as verse 1 shows. Some thought that it was a monologue of a wise person (Herbert Irsigler 1984). Others wonder whether it is a meditation of an individual or a prayer of a community (B. Renaud 1979). As much as I like Rabbi Meir Weiss and have met him in Jerusalem at his house twice, in his book The Bible from Within: The Method of Total Interpretation 1984, he allocated the psalm to the 5th or 4th centuries BCE. This is way to late for Asaph and Seventh Day Adventists cannot go along with his conclusion at all.

If one looks at 2 Chronicles 20:14 and gives 100 years to each name, Asaph 100, his son Mattaniah 100 years, his son Jeiel 100 years, his son Benaiah 100 years, his son Zechariah 100 years and if one places his son Jehaziel in the days of Jehosaphat (873 - 848 BCE) then one calculate 600 + 873 and ends with 1473 - 1448 BCE, the last date two years after the Exodus. It will mean that Moses and Asaph were contemporaries since this last date was the date when the Tabernacle plans were given to Moses and the priesthood installed. This would place this Psalm much earlier.

Psalm 73 does not read easy in the Hebrew. There are many hapax legomena (words that occur only once) in the Psalm and many loanwords. The difficult reading of Psalm 73 can be a signal of its ancient date since the book of Job by Moses is a similar example of the same features as in this Psalm.

Asaph start his psalm after his experience that he is going to tell us about. He says that God is certainly (ak) good to Israel. Application will have it that the reality of God's dealing with us is certain and good.

Asaph explains his problem in Psalm 73:2-3. He says "and I, my feet almost stumble, my legs (ashereh) like being (kayin) thrown out (saphak)". This instability in Asaph's life was almost disastrous to him. He was tempted by Satan and tempted very strongly. He wants to tell us about it and he does.

Asaph turned his eyes from God and fixed it somewhere else, the prosperity of the rich. He says in Psalm 73:4 "For I was envious of the merchants (businessmen), I saw the peace/tranquility of the wicked. For not is there struggle (harsubot) to their death and creative (webaria) is their power". 

Asaph then gave a romantic description of these people, a description that is overlooking many aspects of rich people. The trauma and restlessness and guilt feelings of rich people as well as their stress life is totally overlooked by Asaph. He only sees the surface of these people. He says in Psalm 73:5 that "in the trouble of men (enosh = an Egyptianism [Late Egyptian] s.3.n.s means "man of good birth" and the Assyrian word nishu means "man", see especially Job 33:26; 28:4; 25:4; 13:9; 7:17; 9:2; 7:1; 5:17; 4:17;  where Moses used this form for man when he compiled Job in 1460 BCE in Midian) they are not, and with mankind they are not murdered/hit".

"Therefore, pride is their necklace, garments of violence to them" (Psalm 73:6).

Pride and violence associated with these rich businessmen is already a judgemental insight that Asaph is hanging on to us later.

Asaph then gave a long description about the wicked and how they easily make money and seems not to have any trouble on earth.

In Psalm 73:13-15 he seemed to be caught up with this temptation and even thought that his innocence and strict life was in vain. Satan made him understand that it is useless to live a good life in relationship with God since that is a life of poverty, struggle and pain.

Asaph said that he sought to understand all this "I thought about it to understand it, trouble it was in my eyes" (Psalm 73:16).

Until something happened that gave Asaph insight. In fact, Asaph used the word "until" in Psalm 73:17 since that was the great turning point in his life. Suddenly he understood. It stopped him from becoming foolish and saved him from trouble.

Asaph said it this way: "Until I came to the sanctuary of God, I understood unto their end". When Asaph came into the sanctuary and read about the end of the wicked, their eschatological end that God had predicted since the time of Adam and Eve to every generation, when Asaph saw this, he knew that they are heading for a cul de sac. Like the man who attended the funeral of his friend and he looked down to the coffin and said, "You did not believe in heaven and you did not believe in hell. Now you are lying there in the coffin with your nice clothes and you have nowhere to go".

Now Asaph realized that God is the One Who guides the righteous through this life "with Your counsel You guide me and afterward (aher = connected to their end in verse 17) glorious you receive me".

Edward Heppenstall preached on this psalm and indicated that Asaph came into the sanctuary. He was not just standing there. There was an information flow in this event. It was not a feeling worship experience but one of understanding. His understanding grew from 0% to 100%. That understanding was the sanctuary message. When one properly understand the Sanctuary Message one properly understand Atonement and Christ's role in the Most Holy on our behalf.

Because Asaph desired the closeness of God and a secure relationship with God, he became a witness for God, "that I may tell all of Your works" (Psalm 73:28).

Let us wrap it up: When I am tempted by Satan to look for the glittering lights, the diamonds on the horizon, wishing for shiny cars and gold watches on my arms, I need open the Word of God and read about the eschatological scenario of all history and what God is planning to do with this world. Understanding the temporary aspect of our lives properly, I suddenly have insight to live with God and seek His nearness as my security. With that security I can witness now for Him to all of His great works of salvation as High Priest in Heaven on our behalf.

Dear God

Help us that when Satan wish to make us stumble, your Grace will be our refuge to open our eyes in Your Word, showing us the way and guide us, so that we can be a witness for You of Your great works of salvation on our behalf. Amen.