Psalm 73:16,17 – “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me— 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.”
This Psalm starts out with the author almost losing it. Just listen to verse 2: “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.” What is it that has this guy on a banana peel? You ready? He is watching the people around him who are not serving God doing better than those who are. They have everything and nothing seems to bother them. They don’t worry or have troubles like God’s people. This really irritates him, to the point he complains in verses 13 and 14: “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning.”
The only thing that’s going to help him is an attitude adjustment. Where do you go to get that? Verse 17 – “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.” Getting into God’s presence will straighten you right out. Why is that? All of a sudden another perspective comes into view: God’s…not only will you see other people differently, but you will also see yourself differently. Verse 21 in the New Living Translation says, “Then I realized my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.” There you go. Maybe the problem isn’t so much everything around you as much as it is what’s going on inside of you.
Need a new perspective? Get into God’s presence. A little attitude adjustment will do you good.