But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works.
Parallel translations
- WEB But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
- KJV But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
- ESV But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
- NKJV But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works.
- NASB But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me; I have made the Lord God my refuge, So that I may tell of all Your works.
- NLT But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
For Asaph, the good he sought is simply to draw near to God, making the Lord his refuge and declaring all his works.
Overview
The psalm ends where it began, in the goodness of God, now embraced as nearness to him. Asaph has learned that the highest good is not prosperity but communion with God, who is his refuge. This drawing near, once mediated by the sanctuary, is now opened freely to all through Christ, our great high priest (Hebrews 4:16).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Jas 4:8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Ps 40:5Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us—none can compare to You—if I proclaim and declare them, they are more than I can count.
- Heb 10:19–22Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
- Lam 3:25–26The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
- Ps 65:4Blessed is the one You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts! We are filled with the goodness of Your house, the holiness of Your temple.
- 1 Pet 3:18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
- Ps 71:24My tongue will indeed proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded.
- Ps 84:10For better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
- Ps 118:17I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done.
- Luke 15:17–20Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death!
- Ps 107:22Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing.
- Ps 14:6You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.
- Ps 71:17O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds.
- Ps 116:7Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
- Ps 66:16Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 73:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.