But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works, (73:28).

The psalmist is on dangerous ground, actually more like a quicksand threatening to suck him into the despair of the hows and whys of all that doesn’t make sense in the world around him.

But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped.
³ For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
⁴ For there are no pains in their death,
And their body is fat.
⁵ They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like mankind, (73:2-5).

• Why do the wicked prosper?
• How is it that the life of the wicked is free from pain and want?
• Why are the wicked enjoying a trouble-free life?
• How do the wicked get away with their offenses against holy God?
• Why is it that when I do right, I seem to suffer for it?
• How is it that life is so unfair?

Perhaps you’ve asked the same kinds of questions. I know I have. But those kinds of questions reveal a disconnect between our own thoughts and God’s.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts,” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

When questions mount, we must learn as the psalmist did, to not allow the mysteries of this life to consume us; but purpose to come before Him to gain His perspective over our short-sighted temporal vantage point.

If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.
¹⁶ When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
¹⁷ Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end, (73:15-17).

And when we are in His presence, reality will come into focus as we come face to face with the Goodness of His Nearness.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works, (73:28).

Consider the Nearness of His Goodness

• The Nearness of His Goodness keeps our feet from stumbling.
  • But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
    My steps had almost slipped, (73:2).

• The Nearness of His Goodness prevents our eyes from coveting.
  • For I was envious of the arrogant
    As I saw the prosperity of the wicked, (73:3).

• The Nearness of His Goodness corrects our faulty thinking.
  • Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
    And washed my hands in innocence;
    ¹⁴ For I have been stricken all day long
    And chastened every morning, (73:13-14).

• The Nearness of His Goodness strengthens our testimony.
  • If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
    Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children, (73:15).

• The Nearness of His Goodness gives us eternal perspective.
  • Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
    Then I perceived their end, (73:17).

• The Nearness of His Goodness exposes our bitterness.
  • When my heart was embittered
    And I was pierced within, (73:21).

• The Nearness of His Goodness discloses our senseless arrogance.
  • Then I was senseless and ignorant;
    I was like a beast before You, (73:22).

• The Nearness of His Goodness counsels and guides us to His truth and glory.
  • Nevertheless I am continually with You;
    You have taken hold of my right hand.
    ²⁴ With Your counsel You will guide me,
    And afterward receive me to glory, (73:23-24).

• The Nearness of His Goodness surpasses anything this world has to offer.
  • Whom have I in heaven but You?
    And besides You, I desire nothing on earth, (73:25).

• The Nearness of His Goodness is our strength, providing all we will ever need for this life and forever.
  • My flesh and my heart may fail,
    But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever, (73:26).

How do we respond to the Nearness of His Goodness?

Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart! (73:1).

There is a caveat regarding the Nearness of His Goodness; it is for those who are pure in heart. Jesus even told us that the Nearness of His Goodness is promised to those who are pure in heart.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” (Matthew 5:8).

But who this side of heaven can possibly be pure in heart?

“The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

But what is impossible for man, is more than possible with God.

…“Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God,” (Luke 18:26-27).

And when we place our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, we are justified; and just as if I’d never sinned, our hearts are made holy and blameless, in other words, pure before Him.

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him, (Ephesians 1:4).

But the heart must be well-guarded, for nothing can muddy up the heart like anxiety and worry; and like quicksand left unchecked, we can be swallowed within the mysteries of the hows and whys of all that doesn’t make sense in our world around us.

The psalmist understood the need to come near to Him to lift the clouds of confusion, eradicate the pollution of that endless stream of hows and whys, and to have our thoughts connected with His. And so did Paul.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect, (Romans 12:2).

We must renew our minds in His Word to get the world’s worries out. We must daily purpose to come before Him to gain His perspective over our short-sighted temporal vantage point. And when we do, we will be transformed to trust His hows and whys with His clarity and perspective.

Let us set the Lord continually before our eyes, our minds, and our thoughts, fully confident that our strength and stability are sure in His presence. For when we are Near to Him, our understanding will be enlightened and renewed, and we will be established and securely transformed in our eternal hope, forever rejoicing in the Goodness of His Nearness.

I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely, (Psalm 16:8-9).

Today, let us make Him our refuge as we make up our minds that nothing compares with the amazing privilege we have of being Near to our God. And may we too, like the psalmist, be a voice of faith to proclaim the Goodness of His Nearness.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works, (73:28).

Let’s Grow Together!