The book of Hebrews speaks of the same reality: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace in time of need.” Christian, in prayer, you are not entering the presence of a god who is temperamental or easily disturbed by your confusion and doubt. No. You are entering the presence of a “high priest who is [able] to sympathize with [your] weaknesses” (Heb 4:15) – the Lord Jesus Christ.

“My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart,
my portion forever” (Ps 73:26).

This is what I like to call a “Psalmist classic.” It’s the kind of verse you find written on a coffee mug or t-shirt, maybe even tattooed on someone’s arm. It’s a verse that, apart from any context, can easily turn into a “feel-good” platitude, a bright ray of biblical sunshine for the cloudy days of our lives.

Don’t get me wrong. God’s Word – whether written on the pages of our Bibles or the sides of our coffee mugs – is for us a daily necessity, especially in the midst of our distracted age. Nevertheless, we must always seek to interpret Scripture within context. In fact, understanding the context of a given passage often brings Scripture to bear upon our lives in ways we never before imagined. Such is the case with Psalm 73.

When Heart and Flesh Fail

When we read this Psalm, we must not imagine the Psalmist sitting quietly at the edge of a pond, writing down his warm and fuzzy thoughts about the benevolent nature of the universe. To the contrary, Psalm 73 was written from the pen of a man filled with confusion, frustration, and an overall sense that life was nothing but a contradiction.

The Psalmist begins with a truthful statement about God’s goodness toward “the pure in heart” (v. 1). So far, so good. But then, quite suddenly, the Psalmist shifts his focus: “But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray. For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (v. 2-3). What has happened? With humble honesty, the Psalmist has laid bare his sinful heart before his Maker, revealing the contrast between the “pure in heart” and his own, envious heart.

The sin of envy manifests itself in several ways for the Psalmist. For example, he doubts God’s justice and despairs over the seemingly meaningless nature of suffering (v. 4-14). It’s as if the Psalmist has pointed a finger at the world and screamed, “This is one, big contradiction!”

Despite their pride, violence, and mockery of God, the wicked “are always at ease, and they increase in their wealth” (v. 12). The bewilderment doesn’t stop there! With an eye toward his own suffering, the Psalmist begins to call his own pursuit of godliness into question: “Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?” (v. 13). Herein lies the lament of a person who tries and tries, but continually falls short of his or her vision of success.

Can you resonate with the Psalmist’s frustration? I sure can.

I’ve often wondered why God seems to let the wicked get off the hook so easily; meanwhile, the righteous among us can never seem to catch a break. We all know of women and men in our churches who, despite their faithful giving and serving and praying, appear to catch the brunt end of every kind of suffering. As has often been asked, “Why must the rich get richer and the poor get poorer?” and “Why must the righteous suffer?”

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