I Almost Slipped
Scripture
Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. Look at these wicked people—enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? 14 I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. 15 If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. 18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. 19 In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. 21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant—I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. 23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
-Psalm 73:1-5, 13-26 (A Psalm of Asaph)
One of the gifts of the Psalms is how honest they are. They remind us that faith doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay. God invites honesty, not a performance. In Psalm 73, Asaph says out loud what many of us only whisper. He looks around and sees arrogant, wicked people thriving while those who love God struggle. He knows God is good, but he admits that his faith is wavering under the weight of what he sees.
We’ve all seen it. Kind, faithful, generous people carry heavy burdens, loss, or financial strain, while others who seem indifferent toward God appear carefree and untouched by trouble. Asaph names what many of us are afraid to admit. He was envious. His feet had almost slipped. This wasn’t a passing doubt. It was a moment when the solid ground of faith felt unstable.
“The best place to get understanding is the sanctuary of God.”¹
- Charles Spurgeon
Spurgeon is right. What keeps Asaph from spiraling isn’t a quick answer but a shift in perspective. Nothing made sense until he entered the sanctuary, until he came into God’s presence. Worship lifted him out of a narrow, earthly view and gave him an eternal one. What looks like success in the moment is not the same as lasting hope, and what feels unfair now is not the final word.
By the end of the psalm, Asaph’s heart is softer and steadier. Even in his bitterness, God never let go of him. “Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.” His circumstances hadn’t changed, but his understanding had. Earthly prosperity lost its shine, and God Himself became the prize. “Whom have I in heaven but you?” Closeness to God is not a consolation prize. It’s the greatest good. So when comparison starts to pull you off your footing, don’t stay stuck in what you see. Step into His presence, and let Him steady your heart again.
Reflection
- Where have you found yourself comparing your life to others and feeling unsettled, discouraged, or envious?
- What difference does it make when you step into God’s presence, through worship, Scripture, or stillness, and allow Him to reshape how you see your circumstances?
- How might your heart shift if you measured blessing less by what you can see now and more by the nearness of God and the hope of eternity?
Prayer
Come to God with honesty, naming any frustration, envy, or confusion you have been carrying. Ask Him to lift your eyes from a purely earthly perspective and to anchor your heart in what is eternal. Pray for a deeper awareness of His presence.
Footnote
¹ C.H. Spurgeon, “The Sinner’s End,” sermon on Psalm 73:17.
