What is the meaning of Psalm 73:2? But as for me - The psalmist opens with a frank, personal admission, setting himself apart from the unbelieving crowd he has just described. - The phrase spotlights a lone, honest voice in the middle of cultural confusion—much like Joshua’s stand in Joshua 24:15, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”. - It reminds us that every believer must take personal responsibility for faith, even when surrounded by those who seem to prosper without God (cf. Psalm 55:16). - By beginning this way, Asaph signals a heartfelt, first-person testimony that invites us to examine our own spiritual footing. my feet had almost stumbled - “Feet” picture the stability of one’s life journey; “stumbled” implies a near-disaster, not a momentary wobble. - The psalmist confesses how close he came to abandoning trust when envy of the wicked clouded his sight. - Compare Psalm 17:5, “My steps have held to Your paths; my feet have not slipped”. Here, however, the footing is shaky because the gaze has shifted off God. - 1 Corinthians 10:12 warns, “So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall”. Even mature believers can totter when distracted by the apparent success of the godless. - Practical takeaways: • Guard what captures your attention. • Be honest about weakness; humility is the first safeguard against a spiritual tumble. • Let Scripture, worship, and fellowship steady your steps when doubt presses in. my steps had nearly slipped - “Steps” narrows the lens to daily conduct—choices made moment by moment. - Slipping is gradual, almost unnoticeable until one is suddenly off the path. Psalm 94:18 echoes this fear: “If I say, ‘My foot is slipping,’ Your loving devotion, O LORD, supports me”. - Proverbs 4:11-12 adds assurance: “When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble”. God provides a slip-resistant path, yet we must stay on it. - The phrase “nearly slipped” also signals hope—God intervened before the fall became fatal. Psalm 38:16 records a similar cry for rescue “when my foot slips”. - Application points: • Recognize early warning signs—envy, bitterness, comparison. • Re-center on God’s character and eternal justice, which the rest of Psalm 73 unfolds. • Celebrate God’s preserving grace; He catches us before the spiral becomes a plummet. summary Psalm 73:2 is a candid confession that even sincere believers can teeter on the edge of spiritual collapse when they fixate on the seeming prosperity of the wicked. By admitting, “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped,” Asaph invites us to acknowledge our own vulnerabilities, remember God’s stabilizing promises, and cling to His sustaining grace before doubt turns into downfall. |
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