Finishing Strong
I recently read Psalm 73 again, and it reminded me why it's one of my favorite psalms. Over the years, I had read this psalm many times, but I mainly focused on the message and emotions in the psalm itself. I thought of Asaph simply as one of the writers of the Psalms. But it never occurred to me to learn more about who Asaph really was. Reading about him recently brought new insight and a deeper understanding of the psalm.
When I read the New Testament, I often like to know who the author is. For example, knowing that Matthew was a tax collector before following Jesus helps me understand his perspective and message better. His background adds depth to the things he writes. Similarly, learning more about Asaph made Psalm 73 even more meaningful to me.
During a Gospel Workshop at The Bible Talks (a training session on how to read and interpret the Bible faithfully), One of the key things I learned there was the importance of understanding the context—the background of the author and the situation they were in. I had mostly applied these skills to New Testament books, but I hadn't really used them when reading the Psalms and/or this specific psalm.
Asaph wrote Psalm 73 through Psalm 83, along with a few others. When you read his psalms, you can get to understand his heart and the kind of worshipper he was. I learnt that he was a gifted musician and a leader in worship. He served alongside King David and played an important role in the spiritual life of Israel. According to 1 Chronicles 6:31-32 and 1 Chronicles 16, Asaph was one of the leaders in worship in the house of the Lord. That’s a significant role, especially in public or corporate worship.
He was not only a worshipper but also a Levite—a member of the tribe that was set apart for priestly duties in the temple (see 1 Chronicles 6:39, 15:17–19). Levites were called to serve between God and the people, offering sacrifices, leading worship, and maintaining the holiness of the temple. Their service pointed forward to the ultimate High Priest—Jesus Christ—who is now our only mediator between God and man.
What strikes me most about Asaph is that even though he was such a strong leader and deeply spiritual man, he struggled. In Psalm 73, he writes, “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Asaph looked around and saw that the ungodly seemed to be living easy, comfortable lives. They weren’t struggling like others. He felt discouraged, and his perspective became clouded.
His honesty is powerful. Despite being a man of God, he openly admits that his thinking was messed up. He was tempted to believe that following God did not avail much. But what I admire is that his story didn’t end there. In verse 17, everything changed: “Until I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.” When Asaph entered God's sanctuary, he saw things clearly. He understood that the prosperity of the wicked is temporary and that eternal life with God is far more valuable.
This reminds me of other men and women of faith in the Bible who also stumbled at times but found restoration. Sadly, some, even people today start strong in ministry but do not finish well. We’ve seen pastors and leaders fall into sin, even late in life. Social media often exposes these stories, and it can be heart breaking. It reminds us that no one is above falling. Sin is always close, knocking at the door, looking for a way in. We must never think we are too mature or too strong to be tempted.
Some of these leaders didn’t finish strong—not because they lost their salvation, but because they had to step down from ministry or leadership roles due to sin. That’s a serious thing. And often, it happens after others lovingly confront them, forcing them to face their actions and make difficult decisions.
I think Asaph experienced something similar to what Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 11:31: “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” While Paul was writing about the Lord’s Supper, the principle applies more broadly. When we examine ourselves honestly before God, we can repent and be restored before things get worse. Asaph did this. He saw his sin clearly and said, “I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.” But then, as he returned to God, he ended the psalm with hope, confidence, and praise.
This teaches us that we are in a spiritual battle. We cannot be lazy or careless. The enemy is always looking for ways to weaken us. There’s no guarantee that we’ll finish strong, except by the grace of God. The devil wants us to end our race in shame, to steal our joy and make us feel defeated. But we thank God for Jesus, who strengthens us and helps us continue.
So let us keep looking to Christ. Let us run this race with endurance, always remembering that we need His grace daily. Let us be humble and watchful so that we too, like Asaph, can finish strong.
