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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
- Ps 40:5Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
- Heb 10:19–22Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
- Lam 3:25–26The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
- Ps 65:4Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
- 1 Pet 3:18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
- Ps 71:24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
- Ps 84:10For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
- Ps 118:17I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
- Luke 15:17–20And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
- Ps 107:22And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
- Ps 14:6Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
- Ps 71:17O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
- Ps 116:7Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.
- Ps 66:16Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.