“When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within,Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory.” (Psalm 73:21–24, NASB95)

Psalm 73 is a song of repentance.  In it, Asaph realizes the grievous error of thinking wrongly of God. He recognizes that by thinking wrong of God, he also is thinking wrong of himself.  The denial of what he knows to be true of God drives him to the foolishness of his own counsel. Once he sees his error, he discovers something truly life-changing. He discovers what a truly amazing gift repentance is. By granting us repentance, God opens the door to a restored relationship with Him; and, upon walking through we can enjoy the multitude of blessings that come from right thinking. Right thinking about ourselves, and more importantly, right thinking about God Himself.

The envy of the wicked is treacherous. When this sin is present in our hearts it distorts our view of both life and its Creator. Our view of God becomes dangerously unworthy of Him. But God, in His faithfulness shows us our error and restores us to the plain and encouraging guidance of His counsel. He faithfully leads us through the traps and snares of this world until the time comes for Him to receive us to glory.

Repentance leads to a change of thinking. This change of thinking should lead us to feel compassion for those who live life within the deception that their prosperity and luxury will never end. It has been wisely said that for those without Christ, this life is the best they will ever know; and, it could all be gone before their next breath. May we who know redemption in Christ always remember that we are called to share the gospel with all who will listen, no matter who they are or what they think they have.