We live in an age obsessed with certainty. From the instant answers provided by search engines to the precision of scientific discoveries, our world conditions us to expect clarity and control. As Christians, we cherish certainties that anchor our faith: the deity of Christ, His atoning death and resurrection, the inerrancy of Scripture, and the promise of eternal life. These truths are the bedrock of our belief, offering assurance in a chaotic world. Yet, alongside these certainties lie mysteries—profound questions and divine realities that defy our comprehension. Why does God permit suffering? How do His sovereignty and our free will coexist? What is the full nature of the Trinity? These enigmas challenge us, pushing us beyond the limits of human understanding.
Psalm 73:16 captures this struggle vividly. The Psalmist, Asaph, writes, “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task” (ESV). He is wrestling with the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, a mystery that troubles him deeply. This verse guides us as we explore how faith grows in the spaces where answers elude us. In this journey, we will exegete Psalm 73:16, delve into the nature of God’s mysteries, examine Biblical examples, and consider how embracing the unknown can strengthen our trust in Him. Far from being a threat, these mysteries are invitations to a wilder, more profound faith in a God who transcends our grasp.
Exegesis of Psalm 73:16
To understand Psalm 73:16, we must first place it within its broader context. Psalm 73, attributed to Asaph—a Levite and worship leader under King David (1 Chronicles 16:4-5)—begins with a bold affirmation: “Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart” (Psalm 73:1, ESV). Yet, this confidence quickly gives way to doubt. Asaph confesses that his faith faltered when he envied the wicked: “For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:3, ESV). He describes their ease, no struggles, healthy bodies, and freedom from trouble, contrasted with his own suffering despite his righteousness (vv. 4-12).
This disparity leads to a crisis of faith. In verses 13-14, Asaph laments, “All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning” (ESV). He questions the value of his fidelity to God when the wicked prosper while he endures affliction. It’s a timeless dilemma: Why does God allow injustice to persist?
In verse 16, Asaph reflects on his attempt to resolve this tension: “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task” (ESV). The Hebrew text offers deeper insight. The phrase “when I thought” comes from וָאֲחַשְּׁבָה (va’achashvah), rooted in chashav, meaning “to think, consider, or devise.” “To understand” is לָדַעַת (lada’at), from yada, which means “to know, perceive, or discern.” The key phrase “wearisome task” translates עָמָל הִיא בְעֵינָי (amal hi b’enai), literally “it is toil in my eyes.” The word עָמָל (amal) signifies labor, trouble, or misery, suggesting not just difficulty but a burdensome, exhausting effort.
Asaph’s words reveal the emotional and intellectual toll of grappling with this mystery. He doesn’t find an immediate answer; instead, he acknowledges the struggle itself. The turning point comes in verse 17: “until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end” (ESV). In God’s presence, Asaph gains perspective—not a complete explanation, but a revelation of the wicked’s ultimate fate and God’s enduring faithfulness to the righteous. This shift underscores a vital truth: some mysteries are resolved not through human reasoning but through communion with God.
The Nature of God, Knowable Yet Beyond Comprehension
At the heart of our faith lies a paradox: God is both knowable and mysterious. He reveals Himself through creation (Romans 1:20), Scripture, and supremely in Jesus Christ (John 1:18). We know His love, justice, and mercy. Yet, His infinite nature ensures that He remains beyond our full understanding. Isaiah 55:8-9 declares, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (ESV). This transcendence is not a barrier but an invitation to marvel at His greatness.
Augustine of Hippo famously said, “If you think you understand, it is not God.” If we could fully comprehend God, He would cease to be the infinite Creator and become a mere construct of our minds. Consider these mysterious attributes:
Eternity: “From everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Psalm 90:2, ESV). God exists outside time, a concept our temporal minds cannot fully grasp.
Omnipresence: “Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24, ESV). How can God be everywhere simultaneously?
The Trinity: One God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—defies human analogy yet is foundational to our faith.
Scripture also presents paradoxes that deepen this mystery:
Sovereignty and Choice: “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16, ESV), yet “Choose this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15, ESV).
Love and Wrath: “God is love” (1 John 4:8, ESV), yet “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness” (Romans 1:18, ESV).
Grace and Works: “By grace you have been saved through faith… not a result of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV), yet “faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26, ESV).
These tensions are not contradictions but reflections of a God who holds complexity in perfect harmony. They challenge us to trust Him beyond our ability to explain.
Faith Forged in Mystery
Scripture abounds with stories of individuals who encountered mysteries and grew in faith through trust.
The Disciples and Jesus’ Teachings
Jesus often taught in ways that perplexed His followers. His parables veiled truth, requiring seekers to dig deeper (Matthew 13:10-17). In John 6, He declared, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53, ESV). Many disciples grumbled, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (v. 60), and some left. Yet, Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (v. 68, ESV). Their faith matured not through clarity but through commitment amid confusion.
Abraham’s Sacrifice
In Genesis 22, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise. This directive seemed to contradict God’s covenant, yet Abraham obeyed. Hebrews 11:19 reveals he believed God could raise the dead—a leap of faith in the face of mystery. God provided a ram, affirming His faithfulness, and Abraham’s trust deepened.
Joseph’s Providence
Joseph endured slavery and imprisonment, yet he clung to God. Years later, he told his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20, ESV). He couldn’t see God’s plan in the pit or prison, but his faith grew as he trusted God’s unseen purpose.
These narratives show that faith often flourishes in the crucible of mystery, where trust replaces understanding.
Deepening Our Faith Through Mystery
Embracing mystery is not a concession to doubt but a pathway to spiritual maturity. Here’s how:
Humility and Dependence
Acknowledging our limits humbles us, shifting reliance from self to God. Proverbs 3:5 urges, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (ESV). This dependence fosters intimacy with Him.
Awe and Wonder
Mystery rekindles childlike awe. Psalm 145:3 proclaims, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable” (ESV). Contemplating God’s vastness inspires worship.
Empathy for Others
Our struggles with mystery connect us to fellow believers. When we’ve wrestled with doubt, we can encourage others, reflecting Christ’s compassion.
Historical Witnesses
Saints like John of the Cross experienced the “dark night of the soul,” emerging with deeper faith. C.S. Lewis, grieving his wife’s death, wrote in A Grief Observed of rediscovering God through questions. Their journeys affirm that mystery refines faith.
Balancing Mystery and Certainty
Some fear that embracing mystery undermines conviction or flirts with relativism. Yet, Scripture provides unshakable truths—the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), Christ’s return (Revelation 22:20), salvation by faith (Romans 10:9). Mystery complements these certainties, not contradicts them.
J.I. Packer wrote, “Faith means trusting God even when we cannot see the whole picture.” This trust rests on revelation, not blind leaps. Mystery also guards against pride; assuming we fully know God risks idolatry. We hold revealed truth firmly while marveling at depths yet unexplored.
Trusting God in the Twilight
In a certainty-driven world, faith beckons us into twilight—where light and shadow dance, where we know in part (1 Corinthians 13:12). Like Asaph, we may find mysteries wearisome, but in God’s presence, we find peace. Practical steps like prayer, Scripture meditation, and nature’s contemplation can nurture this trust.
Jesus, the mystery of God incarnate, calls us to follow Him—not with all answers, but with obedient faith. One day, “we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2, ESV), and mysteries will unravel. Until then, these spaces challenge us to grow, drawing us closer to the wild, untamable God who loves us beyond measure.
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