Continually in His Presence

“Nevertheless, I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand.” (Psalms 73:23)

“Nevertheless,” sang Asaph. Asaph sang about how foolish he’d been, how envious he’d been at the foolish and wicked. He'd sung surely, he’d uselessly had cleansed his heart and purged himself of his sin. Surely, he’d done all the good works for nothing. He’d sacrificed in vain because he saw that the wicked did none of this and yet prospered. (Psalms 73:3-16)

We also can sing “nevertheless.” For we were enemies of God, (Romans 5:10), enemies of the Cross (Philippians 3:18) and liars with the anti-Christ spirit (1 John 2:22). “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) We could not escape our destiny to destruction. We were incapable of seeking God. Nor could we do any good. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12)

“Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” (Psalms 73:17) It’s in that sacred place with the Lord, in the Presence of the Lord and in our prayer closet that we gain understanding of spiritual things. It’s in the humbling of ourselves before a mighty God that we realize His Goodness and patience for us. It’s there that we realize the greatness of His Love and gift of forgiveness. And it’s there that we can sing “nevertheless.” Nevertheless because of His Goodness, nevertheless because of His patience, His Love and forgiveness, I can be in His Presence continually.

We can put all our trust in His Promise. “...I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:20b) We can trust in His protection from destruction, both spiritual and natural. We can be at peace no matter the circumstances because we know He is with us and has taken us by the hand, much like a parent to protect and to guide. “Nevertheless, I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” (Psalms 73:23-24)

We can sing like Asaph of our desire for nothing and no one except for our God. With Him there is peace in every situation, in this world and from all destruction. With Him there is joy in the midst of the storm. With Him there is hope because we know that all things work for our good, even when we can’t see it. (Romans 8:28)

He is our portion forever, our inheritance. (Psalms 73:26) “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:17) We are heirs of eternal life (Titus 3:7) and heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” (1Peter 1:4)

And we sing because we are saved from the destruction of the wicked. We draw near to Him, trust Him and declare His works. We are brought near to the Lord by the Blood of the Lamb. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13) We believe in the Blood of the Lamb. It has the power to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The blood is necessary for the atonement. “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:22) In the Old Testament it was the shedding of the innocent blood of animals. But Jesus made a better sacrifice, accepted by the Father for all the sin in the world. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14) His Blood has purged us from our sin and continues to purify us. It continues to cleanse us and it continues to keep us in His Presence.