Have a Bite of Psalm 73:28

Scripture #2 - Psalm 73:28

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 Thy works.

(Psalm 73:28)

To me there's nothing more convicting than the simple, single-letter word "I," especially when it's joined to a declaration of intent or action. In Psalm 73:28 I'm reminded that I have to ardently choose to make drawing near to God a priority. And that begins when I see how good His presence is for me.

Twice the Psalmist uses the word "I" to express his firm declarations and personal intent, once he uses the similar word "me" and twice he employs "my" to take ownership. Every time I repeat this verse aloud and hear those personal declarations, it reminds me that I must hourly choose to make the Lord God my refuge, the One to whom I run. The choice is easy in the gentle dawning of the new day, but it grows more difficult as the hours wear on and I am tempted to default to self-sufficiency and worldly wisdom.

But the thing that appealed to me the most when I first chose to memorize this scripture is the phrase, "the nearness of God is my good." I interpret this to mean that the time I purposefully draw near to God, His intimate presence in my life, the moments I choose to listen to His voice over others, and the sweet communion we share throughout my day, these things are the most "good" things of my day. These are the most productive, the most eternally significant, the most truly satisfying, the most joyful, and the most beautiful moments of any given day.

The sentiment seems to echo David's thoughts in Psalm 27:4:

One thing I ask from the Lord,

this only do I seek: 

that I may dwell in the 

house of the Lord 

all the days of my life, 

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord 

and to seek him in his temple.

When I began meditating on Psalm 73:28, I don't think I fully believed this premise: that my time spent with God and His fellowship were indeed the best of my day. But I wanted to feel that way. I knew it to be true, and I wanted it to be true in my life. I can honestly say that as I've meditated on this simple scripture and digested it more fully, it has become truth in me. I wholeheartedly believe that "the nearness of God is my good." And I believe it is all my good. It is that which makes everything else in my life have any good about it. Make sense? 

Once again, this verse feeds my desire for significance. It doesn't make me feel more significant in myself; it grants me significance because of the time I spend each day in the court of the King. The fact that He calls me into His courts, speaks to me, calls me friend, shares intimately with me, and sends me out equipped to do a little "good" gives me significance and purpose. Having been in His presence and having heard Him speak, I walk out of His courts with more understanding of my mission, the authority to carry it out, and a refreshed sense of how I am to represent Him in my world.

But in order to have this "good" in my life, I must choose to make Him my refuge. And that gives me the ability to see Him, hear from Him, feel His presence. And then, finally, I can tell others of all His works. I can share a little "good."

Mmm, mmm. Now that's good eating to me!