Psalm 73:17 Komentář

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 73 A Psalm of Asaph. It seems by the title that Asaph was the penman of this psalm, as it is certain that he was a composer of psalms and hymns; see Ch2 29:30, though it may be rendered, "a psalm for Asaph", or "unto Asaph" (a); and might have David for its author, as some think, who, having penned it, sent it to Asaph, to be made use of by him in public service; see Ch1 16:7, and so the Targum paraphrases it, "a song by the hands of Asaph;'' the occasion of it was a temptation the psalmist fell into, through the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous, to think there was nothing in religion, that it was a vain and useless thing; under which he continued until he went into the house of God, and was taught better; when he acknowledged his stupidity and folly, and penned this psalm, to prevent others falling into the same snare, and to set forth the goodness of God to his people, with which it begins.

Until I went into the sanctuary of God,.... The tabernacle or house of God, where the Word of God was read and explained, prayer was made, and sacrifices offered up, and where fellowship was had with the saints, and communion with God himself; which for one hour or moment is preferable to all the prosperity of the wicked, during their whole life. This shows that though the psalmist was beset with the temptation, yet not overcome; it did not so far prevail as to cause him to neglect public worship, and relinquish the house of God, and the ordinances of it; and it is right, under temptations, doubts, and difficulties, to attend the public ministrations, which is the way and means to have relief under temptations, to have doubts resolved, and difficulties removed: some by "the sanctuary of God" understand the Scriptures, which are holy and of God, and are profitable for instruction, and are to be consulted and entered into by a serious reading of and deep meditation on them; whereby may be known the happiness that is prepared for the saints in the other world, and the misery of the wicked, and hereby judgment may be made of the present case and condition of each: others interpret it of the world of spirits, which may be entered into by contemplation; when it may be observed that the spirits of just men upon their dissolution possess unspeakable joys and glories, and the souls of the wicked are in inconceivable torments: then understood I their end; both of the godly and of the wicked; that the end of the righteous is peace, rest, salvation, and eternal life, and the end of the wicked is ruin, destruction, and death; see Psa 37:35.

But because the psalmist realized afterward—as he goes on to say in the same psalm, "When I tried to understand this," and he added, "it was a wearisome task," why the wicked have all the luck; "it was a wearisome task," he says, "until I went into the sanctuary of God and understood about their latter end," that for the wicked who are now for a time given good fortune, eternal punishment is being saved up for the last day. So when he realized this he became upright of heart and began to praise God for everything, both for the troubles of decent people and for the good fortune of the wicked. For he observed that God is just in his retributions at the end and that he now gives some people temporal good fortune while keeping in store for them at the end everlasting misfortune, and that in the present life he is subjecting some decent people to the rigors of misfortune while saving up for them eternal good fortune in the next. He remarks that they have to change places, like that rich man who used to feast sumptuously every day and that poor man, full of sores, lying at the rich man's gate and longing to fill himself with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. But when they were both dead the first began to be in pain in hell, and the second was at rest in Abraham's bosom. When the rich man thought this was unfair and wanted a drop of water dripped on his tongue from Lazarus's middle finger (changing places, he now longed for a drop from the finger of the man who had longed for a crumb from his table), he heard from Abraham the judgment of the upright God: "Son," he said, "remember that you received good things in your life and Lazarus bad things; but now he is at rest, and you are in torment."

...And he has done this; for he says how long labour is before him; "until I enter into the sanctuary of God, and understand upon the last things" [Psalm 73:17]. A great thing it is, brethren: now for a long time I labour, he says, and before my face I see a sort of insuperable labour, to know in what manner both God is just, and does care for things human, and is not unjust because men sinning and doing wicked actions have happiness on this earth; but the godly and men serving God are wasted ofttimes in trials and in labours; a great difficulty it is to know this, but only "until I enter into the Sanctuary of God." For in the Sanctuary what is presented to you, in order that you may solve this question? "And I understand," he says, "upon the last things:" not present things. I, he says, from the Sanctuary of God stretch out my eye unto the end, I pass over present things. All that which is called the human race, all that mass of mortality is to come to the balance, is to come to the scale, thereon will be weighed the works of men. All things now a cloud does enfold: but to God are known the merits of each severally. "And I understand," he says, "upon the last things:" but not of myself; for before me there is labour. Whence "may I understand upon the last things"? Let me enter into the Sanctuary of God. In that place then he understood also the reason why these men now are happy.

If the historical allusions of Psa 74:6-8, &c., be referred, as is probable, to the period of the captivity, the author was probably a descendant and namesake of Asaph, David's contemporary and singer (compare Ch2 35:15; Ezr 2:41). He complains of God's desertion of His Church, and appeals for aid, encouraging himself by recounting some of God's mighty deeds, and urges his prayer on the ground of God's covenant relation to His people, and the wickedness of His and their common enemy. (Psa. 74:1-23) cast . . . off--with abhorrence (compare Psa 43:2; Psa 44:9). There is no disavowal of guilt implied. The figure of fire to denote God's anger is often used; and here, and in Deu 29:20, by the word "smoke," suggests its continuance. sheep . . . pasture--(Compare Psa 80:1; Psa 95:7).

went into the sanctuary--to enquire (compare Exo 25:22; Psa 5:7; Psa 27:4).