Have you ever had the experience where you’re walking along and you’re preoccupied, looking at other things, not realizing you’re stepping on something slippery like a banana peal? Psalm 73:2 says, “As for me my feet had almost slipped. I had nearly lost my foothold.” You feel one foot stumble a bit and the other foot lands on something solid. You almost fall. Your heart skips a beat and when you regain your balance you’re so glad you didn’t fall and injure yourself. That is what the psalmist describes.
What was it that caused him to almost slip, to almost lose his foothold? Verse 3 says, “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” When you get your eyes off of the Lord you’ll be vulnerable to those places where your feet can lose their grip and slip. You won’t be able to stand tall and confident. Be careful! When your eyes wander and you see the prosperity of someone who disregards God you might be tempted to question God or even get angry with God. That’s what Psalm 73 is about. In fact, the psalmist gets to the point where he says in verse 13, “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure, in vain have I washed my hands in innocence,” and so forth.
Notice, however, he doesn’t end the Psalm without coming to a different conclusion: God will settle things in the end. Get your eyes off of the arrogant. Don’t be preoccupied with the prosperity of the wicked. Get your eyes on God and keep them there. He’ll keep you from slipping. Remember, He writes the last chapter!