“Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” (Psalm 73:23-25)
Note Asaph’s sole dependence on his eternal and loving God. But his attitude didn’t begin this way. The psalmist had acknowledged being envious of the prosperity of the wicked (v. 3). He experienced a radical turning point after he came to worship God in His Sanctuary (v. 17). Bathing his mind with the truth of God’s Word, Asaph remembered God will ultimately judge the wicked (vv. 17-20), and he showed a deep sense of repentance (vv. 21-22). The psalmist’s accusatory attitude at the beginning of this psalm is replaced with a quickened spirit that cleaves closer to God in godly delight.
Contextually, three tenses may bring out the fullness of the phrase “continually with thee.” One commentator translates:
You took hold of my right hand—past
You always guide me with your counsel—present
You will receive me with glory—future
You always guide me with your counsel—present
You will receive me with glory—future
Note how this mounting experience of salvation complements the great theological sequence also found in Romans 8:29, encompassing the finished work of God from election to glorification. Notice also the paragraph’s thrust from the opening theme where God alone is “continually with thee” to Asaph’s supreme confession “Whom have I in heaven but thee?”
Believer, can you picture the psalmist humbly on his knees with arms raised in praise and worship, realizing God’s compassionate grasp? This truth is sustaining me this day. How about you? CM
Days of Praise Podcast is a podcast based on the Institute for Creation Research quarterly print devotional, Days of Praise. Start your day with devotional readings written by Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris, and others to strengthen and encourage you in your Christian faith.
