Psalm 73:2–3 — When God Feels Unfair

Psalm 73:2–3

"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."
— Psalm 73:2–3 (NIV)

Reflection

Asaph admits envy. He looks at arrogant people who thrive while he struggles, and he feels cheated. This is not a passing irritation; he says it almost caused him to fall away from God. His honesty strikes a nerve, because most believers at some point wonder why the wicked prosper while they slog through disappointment and loss.

This passage dismantles the idea that frustration with God is a modern problem. Even the psalmists struggled with resentment when life seemed lopsided. Envy, left unchecked, corrodes faith. It whispers that God has favourites and that His justice is delayed or defective. Asaph does not deny this tension; he confesses it. That confession is itself an act of faith. It says, in effect, “I am angry with You, but I am still speaking to You.”

When you are tired of setbacks and tempted to accuse God of neglect, Psalm 73 permits you to bring that anger into His presence rather than letting it fester in silence. The psalm goes on to resolve the tension later, but it begins with brutal honesty about the problem.

Biblical Insight

Psalm 73 marks the beginning of Book III of the Psalms and is attributed to Asaph, a Levitical musician. The psalm moves from envy at the prosperity of the wicked to a renewed vision of God's ultimate justice. Verses 2–3 capture the turning point: personal faith nearly collapsed under the weight of perceived unfairness. By including this lament in Israel's hymnbook, God signals that even raw complaints belong in worship. They are part of a life of faith, not a betrayal of it.

In Application

• Admit envy instead of dressing it up as something else. God already knows what is in your heart.
• Resist the lie that faith means never questioning God. Faith can include complaint, as long as you speak the complaint to Him.
• Recognise that resentment will choke trust if left unchallenged. Bringing it into prayer is the first step to disarming it.

Practical Journaling

Reflect on Psalm 73:2–3, then write without editing yourself:

• Who or what triggers envy in you most strongly right now?
• What accusations have you wanted to hurl at God but kept bottled up?
• How might your faith change if you brought those accusations to Him directly?

Take as much time as you need with this exercise, and if writing feels too difficult today, simply holding these questions in prayer is enough.