Homiletic Quarterly Psalm 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well near slipped. The problems of human life and destiny pressed sore upon the mind of the good and thoughtful Asaph, the writer of this psalm. The story of his struggle and victory is here recorded. I. THE PERILOUS CRISIS IN A GOOD MAN'S LIFE. "My feet were," etc. The sword is dropping from his nerveless hand, the shield from his grasp. His strength is ebbing fast. Now — 1. Such crises may arise from circumstances over which we have no control: and — 2. In the holiest lives. II. THE ANTECEDENT HISTORY OF THIS CRISIS IS DISCLOSED (vers. 3, 4, 13, etc.). 1. Asaph had come to doubt of the Divine Sovereignty. "How doth God know?" If God were Sovereign, how could He let such wickedness be? He forgot the future retribution. 2. And the Divine Fatherhood. 3. And had endeavoured to extricate himself by the aid of human reason alone (ver. 16). 4. This crisis was not an innocent one. Its root was unbelief. III. THE METHOD OF DELIVERANCE IS REVEALED. "Until I went into the sanctuary" (ver. 17). On which note — 1. The sanctuary is the best place for trembling faith. Because (1) There are special promises attached to its services (1 Kings 9:8; 2 Chronicles 7:15, 16). (2) There we enter the domain of faith. (3) And are brought face to face with eternal realities. The future life comes into view. 2. The sanctuary is not necessarily any material edifice. Probably in this case it was. But every spot hallowed by heavenly intercourse is a sanctuary. Jacob's stony temple; Peter's housetop, etc. And even within the sanctuary it is the attitude of the mind, not the position of the body, which brings relief. IV. A RECIPE OF PREVENTION IS RECORDED. We have — 1. A confession of folly (ver. 22). 2. An expression of confidence (ver. 23). 3. An affirmation of trust (ver. 24). 4. A testimony of gratitude (vers. 28, 25). Therefore, learn — (1) A querulous spirit is a source of spiritual danger. (2) The record of past experience is the safeguard of to-day. (3) God is our refuge and strength, and a very present help in trouble. (Homiletic Quarterly.) Parallel Verses KJV: But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.WEB: But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped. |
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