A Familiar Question Asked in Psalm 73.

Why? Parents of young children hear this question a lot, and it is a question that comes up in all seasons of life. Sometimes, the question comes up in our relationship with the Lord.

It did for Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73. He was one of the choir directors under King David’s reign. Asaph saw the wicked prospering and the righteous being oppressed, and he wondered why.

“Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart,” Asaph writes in verse 1. Yet, it seemed all these people who had nothing to do with God were having all kinds of success. He struggled with how this could be happening, which is okay.

Asking why is okay.

It is a common misconception that Christians are to never ask why. We are just to accept things as they happen without questioning; however, the Bible records individuals of great faith struggling to always understand. Abraham, Moses, and David are just a few who struggled and questioned God, yet they were totally reliant on the Lord.

“It is not a sin to doubt. Disbelief is sin, but questioning, sincerely seeking, is acceptable to God because in the presence of God, you may ask any question you want,” according to Max Lucado.

God did not turn his back on John the Baptist or Thomas when they asked questions, and God will not turn his back on you and me if we ask questions. Sincerely seeking answers from God’s perspective will change ours.

Seeking answers from God’s perspective will change ours.

Look at how it changed Asaph’s perspective in Psalm 73. “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God, then I understood their final destiny,” remarks Asaph in verses 16-17.

Looking at life from God’s perspective changed Asaph’s. He recognized with God there was hope in the future, but with everything else, hope was fleeting.

When you and I are confused about circumstances in our lives, we can sincerely seek answers from God. Viewing our lives from his perspective will provide us with hope. We have this hope because of the promise the Lord has made us. Trying to answer life’s ponderings in any other way will leave us longing.

We may not have the answers, but we know who does.

Asaph concludes in verse 28, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge.” With his hope resting on the Lord, Asaph had a vision for the future. Meanwhile, he may not have understood everything, but he knew God did.

With our hope resting on the Lord, we too can make him our refuge. We may not understand everything, but we know he does. With the Lord as our refuge, our hope is secure, and we do not have to understand everything because he does.