This week’s verse didn’t immediately resonate. Sometimes I can look at a verse, and it comes to life straight away. It breathes with me the moment I read them; this one didn’t. Instead, it nudged me into the whole Psalm, and only then did it begin to open up, drawing me into a quiet kind of self-examination.
Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
Sitting with my own desires, I had to pause. They’ve changed so much. I want to know God more, to walk with Him, to do His will, to have more of Him and less of me. That wasn’t always true. I used to want things and sometimes people in ways that fed my flesh. That pull hasn’t vanished, even if weaker; I pray for strength. I find myself returning to Prayers for Spiritual Growth by Joyce Meyer as a grounding place.
Verses 1–3: Faith and doubt
The heading caught my eye: A Psalm of Asaph. I realised how easily I’ve attributed all the psalms to David. A little digging showed Asaph was a Levitical choir leader appointed by David, responsible for the brass cymbals. My imagination wandered for a moment; this man, waiting for his cue, watching the people, noticing the “prosperity of the wicked.”
But as I read further, the cartoon sketch in my mind faded. Asaph wasn’t a background extra; he was entrusted with leadership and worship. Twelve psalms bear his name, second only to David. And yet he struggled with envy, watching the seemingly carefree lives of the wicked.
I relate. The pull of the world and the fight with the flesh are real. Wanting what others have. Forgetting how subtle coveting can be. Social media doesn’t help; it fuels comparison. I try to avoid it, but a moment of curiosity makes it easy to keep scrolling. I’ve added the 15‑minute notification, and it’s become a small “way to escape,” even if I sometimes snooze it more than once.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man… but God is faithful…
1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV)
Verses 13–17: The turning point
Reading the psalm, I noticed the shift. Entering God’s presence changes everything. Scripture, prayer and worship bring clarity that the world blurs.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee…
Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)
Verses 18–28: Clarity, confession, and confidence
Asaph’s honesty moves me. He admits his envy, his foolishness, his near‑slipping. But he also recognises where his strength comes from. His confession becomes testimony, a reminder of our frailty and God’s mercy.
His words about keeping his heart clean “in vain” struck something in me. I remember the season when I drifted from my faith, making choices that didn’t reflect who I truly am or who I want to be. It led to depression and spiritual numbness. When I finally cried out to God, something lifted instantly. From there, I rebuilt slowly, anchoring myself in simple words: faith, hope, love. My depression eased. My hope returned.
Looking back, it feels like a quiet miracle. God saved me from myself. I’m not fully ready to tell that complete story yet, but I know I will one day. I’ll call it ‘Good Girl, Gone Bad’
Like Asaph, I see now that God was my portion even when I couldn’t feel Him. This psalm didn’t just explain his journey; it illuminated mine, as if in a mirror.
Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
Which part of Asaph’s journey mirrors your own right now, and what is God inviting you to notice in that place?
The Eleven One 
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