I can kind of relate to Asaph here. He's angry because it seems like the people who do not love God are prospering. They're having fun and doing good! That would be tough to watch. Sadly, I can relate to having felt that sort of envy. It's what kept me from serving God wholeheartedly in high school. What was the big deal- everyone seemed to be having fun and not paying any sort of price for it. I mean, I sat through sermons on how the wages of sin is death but man, you start looking at these people and it seems like the current payment they are receiving is pretty good! And I do remember feeling like- am I keeping myself pure for nothing? But I love Asaph's moment of clarity in verse17. He had a change of heart when He entered "God's sanctuary." Talk about getting centered. As soon as He began to spend time with God, he remembered that while the wicked may have fun now, there is indeed a payoff. There is indeed death. And for many, it's not ONLY eternal. There are consequennces. No, it doesn't settle my heart to know that they'll get their payback. In fact, quite the opposite. It makes me sad for them in this moment. It's like I'm in on a secret they don't know about. Verse 25 turns Asaph's attention (and mine) to what is really the truth- I can't look around me and compare my life to others. In the grand scheme of things, God is all I have. (This is also a fabulous David Ruis song that moves me to tears every time I hear it.) The presence of God is "my good" as it says in verse 28. It causes me to want to share what He has rescued me from in my life (not envy those yet to be rescued- or choosing not to be). And it compels me to share this... with the very folks I envied.

Psalm 73:1-28