PRÉCIS ON HOW EASILY WE LOSE OUR FOOTING: RETURNING TO THE ONE WHO KEEPS US SURE

SCRIPTURE. “But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped. For I was envious of the foolish and arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” – PSALM 73:2-3, AMPC

KEY TERM: “ALMOST GONE.” ‘Natah’ [נָטָ֣יוּ ק]: “A primitive root, ‘To stretch or spread out, imp., to bend away from, including a moral deflection.’” NOTE: “The verbנָטָה (‘natah’) is used in various contexts in the Hebrew Bible, often describing physical actions such as stretching out a hand, spreading out a tent, or bending a bow. It can also be used metaphorically to describe inclining one’s heart or turning aside from a path.”

QUOTATIONS:

QUOTATION ONE. “‘Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens,’ said Gimli. ‘Maybe,’ said Elrond,’ but let him not vow to walk in the Dark, who has not seen the Nightfall.” ― J.R.R. TOLKIEN, The Fellowship of the Ring, 1954; edited

QUOTATION TWO. “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light!” – DYLAN THOMAS, “Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night,” 1947; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘But as for me’ — Yet I must acknowledge with grief and shame, concerning myself, that notwithstanding all my knowledge of this truth, and my own experience and observation of God’s dealings with me and other good men; ‘My feet were almost gone’ — My faith in God’s Promises and Providence was almost overthrown by the force of temptation; and I was almost ready to repent of my piety, Psalm 73:13, and to follow the example of ungodly men. ‘My steps had well nigh slipped’ — Hebrew, שׁפכו, ‘shuppechu,’ ‘were almost poured forth,’ namely, like water upon the ground, which is unstable, and runs hither and thither with great Disorder and Uncertainty, till it be irrecoverably lost.

So was I almost transported by my unruly fancies and passions into unworthy thoughts of God, and a sinful course of life. ‘For I was envious at the foolish’ — I was vexed and murmured to see the Wicked, notwithstanding their guilt and desert of punishment, in a very flourishing condition, and I thought it very hard that Pious men should not equal, if not exceed, them in such happiness; especially when I saw no likelihood that it would end, but that they continued in their prosperity. With great propriety are the Wicked, and those that live as if there were no God, called the ‘Foolish;’ for nothing can show greater folly.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

DK’S TAKE. I greatly appreciate the humility and transparency of the great theologian here, colleague of John Wesley and the Methodist Movement and one time President of the Methodist Conference (1798-1799). Yet can he still say, sounding a good deal like Paul in Romans 7:24, “My faith in God’s Promises and Providence was almost overthrown by the force of temptation!”

Likewise, when I am trudging through the Tall Grass Fields of this life, I also falter too many times, wondering out loud (as with this very morning of May 19, 2025: “Lord, have I missed you? Why can I not stay steady on the path regardless of the Darknesses all around me so often these days?”

GOD’S REPLY. “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You do hold my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to honor and glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And I have no delight or desire on earth besides You.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the Rock and firm Strength of my heart and my Portion forever. For behold, those who are far from You shall perish; You will destroy all who are false to You and like [spiritual] harlots depart from You. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.” -PSALM 73:23-28, AMPC

Recall these mighty Words to mind when the World Spirit lays at your door day and night, especially, and speak to the Darkness right out loud: “Depart from me, thou Shadow! I belong to Jesus only!”

Then in just a little while, you will behold the Dawn of His Presence enter the room once again, gradually at first, returning your soul to the Lightness of His perfect Yoke.