The great moral truth contained in Psa. 73 is as directly applicable to the Christian as to the Israelite. In the first fourteen verses of Psa. 73 we have the Spirit of God laying bare the soul and detailing the exercises of a pious man who takes his stand on earth and reasons upon what he sees around himself. And what a sight it is! The people of God have a full cup wrung out to them, while, on the other hand, the wicked triumph and prosper. This seems a riddle to the godly soul. Why does God in His good and wise government allow this? Is He taking cognizance of all that is transpiring?
Then, in the bitterness of his soul, he says to himself. "Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency." Psa. 73:1313Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. (Psalm 73:13). As if he had said, what is the use, what the value, of practical righteousness? What profit is there in seeking to stem the torrent of wickedness? Such are his thoughts, but there is enough piety left to restrain his feelings, and not to cast a stumbling-block before others by giving expression to these unbelieving thoughts. Such I take to be the meaning of Psa. 73:1515If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. (Psalm 73:15). "If I say, I will speak thus: behold, I should offend against the generation of Thy children.”
Now, what is the resource for all this? Change the viewpoint. Now I view things and persons depends very much upon where I view them. Now, the Christian's observatory or viewpoint is the "Sanctuary"- the Lord's immediate presence. There only can a true judgment be formed of all that is passing around us. When we are in God's presence we cannot have false judgments, because if one sees as God sees, then necessarily all is clear. "God is light," and ye are "light in the Lord." 1 John 1:55This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5); Eph. 5:88For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Ephesians 5:8). Hence, if we take our view in the presence of men and circumstances, and think and speak as we there view things, it must be an utter impossibility to have a divine perception of the value of all that is before us and around us. Here clouds obscure the sun, and mixed motives enter into our thoughts and actions. Beloved, get into the Sanctuary, and then we will learn the eternal and divine issues of good and evil. "Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end." Do you think I can go astray in thought or action if I am in God's sanctuary? Impossible! The presence of God is at once my safety and blessing. Not only do I there learn the solemnly-pronounced judgment of God upon evil and evil men (Psa. 73:17-2017Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 19How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. 20As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. (Psalm 73:17‑20)), but I learn another lesson, and one of deepening importance in these days. I learn what I and "So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee." Psa. 73:2222So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. (Psalm 73:22). That is, the "beast" that I am, and one who has been acting without feeling or conscience.
What a wonderful place God's Sanctuary is; what holy lessons are there learned! Confession and humbling before God are the blessed fruits of divine grace working in the soul, and producing a true and righteous judgment of self. It is when the low place is taken before God that I learn a lesson of matchless grace. "Nevertheless I am continually WITH THEE." Psa. 73:2323Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. (Psalm 73:23).
If you turn to Psa. 77, you get the value of the "Sanctuary" in another way. There, it is the blessed refuge of a soul troubled by what is found within (Psa. 77:1-91<<To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of Asaph.>> I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. 2In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. 3I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. 4Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 5I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. 6I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. 7Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favorable no more? 8Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? 9Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. (Psalm 77:1‑9)). Beloved in the Lord, you will find it to be for the everlasting blessing of your souls to abide in the Sanctuary. The remedy for evil without and sorrow within is the presence of the Lord; get into it and abide there. "I call to remembrance my song in the night." Psa. 77:66I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. (Psalm 77:6). The remembrance of past songs won't give present relief. Yesterday's manna won't do for today's feeding; you must gather it fresh every morning (Ex. 16:19-2119And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 20Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. 21And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. (Exodus 16:19‑21)). Again, you have self-judgment -"And I said, This is my infirmity.” Psa. 77:1010And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. (Psalm 77:10). I am sure it is a great mercy that God exercises the hearts of His people. He would have us walk in habitual self-judgment. The more thorough and unsparing we are in this holy and wholesome exercise, although naturally unwelcome, the less fuel there will be for the fire (1 Cor. 3:1313Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (1 Corinthians 3:13)), and less work for the judgment-seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10)).
Now the soul turns from all that is within to God, "I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings." Psa. 77:10-1210And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. 11I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. (Psalm 77:10‑12). No remembrance of past favors and of midnight songs is in these beautiful verses. No, God and His works and doings are alone the strength and blessing of the soul.
“Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary." Psa. 77:1313Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? (Psalm 77:13). Precious truth. But there are also ways not traceable-there are depths we cannot fathom. For example, can you understand why God put His hand upon your suffering child? Or why He stripped you of everything, and left you nothing to lean upon save His blessed self? Even the very gourd which His mercy prepared as a shelter for Jonah from the burning sun of affliction-He prepared His worm to smite, and it also withered. I might say, why all this? Beloved, God wants you all for Himself. There are divine ways and divine dealings which one cannot comprehend. "Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps arc not known." Psa. 77:1919Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. (Psalm 77:19). If you cannot see and cannot understand God's ways with you, at least you can have confidence in His unchanging love. Surely there is all the more need for the sorrowing hand to take a Father's hand and trust a Father's heart.
His wisdom ever waketh;
His sight is never dim;
He knows the way He taketh,
and I will walk with Him.
Believers Almanac 1877