This is a very simple post, really. In my morning devotions on Holy Saturday, one of my readings was Psalm 73, and as I read I found myself paraphrasing as I went along. I was enclosed in that tension between Good Friday and Easter Morning, and I felt caught up in the notion that there is no “us” and “them” before the Cross of Christ. I need not a whit less grace than the “proud ones” of the psalm do. Every drop of blood was as necessary for my salvation as for theirs. I truly am just such as one as they.

I felt a kind of urgency, so I hurried to my desk and found myself paraphrasing the whole psalm! There’s nothing especially profound here (except in so far as it’s based on Scripture, so there’s a profound element already built-in!). I don’t offer any commentary, so just read this and pray it in the presence of the One we worship both at the Cross and on the Throne.

PSALM 73

Just Such a One as They

God truly does love His own–all those who have clean hearts.

Even so, I found myself in a slippery place, and I nearly lost my footing because I caught myself envying the proud.  They get ahead so easily.

They are healthy and strong.  Death never enters their thoughts.

To all appearances, they lead a charmed life; they never face misfortune, and so their pride blooms.

They grasp hungrily for all they desire, and their thoughts are nothing but arrogance and cynicism and ridicule.

They even ridicule the God they deny, and their talk spreads over all the earth.  All they do and say is mockery and pride.

All everyone else sees is their beauty and grace.  They deny God, saying–”Obviously, God doesn’t see, for if He did….”

This is life for the ungodly.  They look good and seem to have everything they desire.  And I said to myself, “I have led a good and virtuous life for nothing.  All day every day I suffer weakness and disease and difficulty.”

I could make no sense of this.  It was too confusing for me, and I couldn’t understand how they all seem to do so well for themselves, while I know only suffering and hardship.

And then I went into the sanctuary, into the presence of the Lord, and I saw their end.

You have led every one far out onto thin ice, and they will suddenly and certainly fall through to their destruction.

One day soon their existence will be like a dream when we wake up:  vivid in the moment, but fading to nothing as the sun begins to rise.  They will disappear before Your very eyes.

My heart melted, but my foolishness took form right before my eyes and like an arrow pierced my soul.  I am no better than a beast before You.  In so many ways, I am such a one as they.

And yet….  And yet … I am always with You.  You reach out and take me by the hand. 

You speak wise words to my soul and direct my steps and–when all is said and done, when all around me crumbles into dust–You will receive me into the glory of Your presence.

Whom have I in heaven but You?  You are my one, my only, desire.

Even when my strength fails and my heart beats its last, You will be the strength of my heart and my only inheritance.

Every person who turns from You will themselves be turned from; they will perish in their pride, every one.

But I will cling to You with all that is in me, and until all You have said actually comes to pass, I will dwell in hope.

And until then I will tell everyone I meet of the vast wonders You have accomplished.