The psalmist Asaph was struggling with what appeared to him as a serious paradox. He had long noticed how the wicked seemed to prosper, while the righteous among God's children had to suffer one hardship after another. The LORD seemed to be near to the rebellious and unbelieving, but far from those who in sincerity and truth sought to keep His Word. Asaph was so overcome by this apparent contradiction in his experience that his faith nearly suffered shipwreck … until he went to the sanctuary of God, v. 17. There, after a time of much trouble and weariness, he finally perceived the end of the matter, the "afterwards" of God's dealings. He saw something of the depth of God's judgment; that is, although it concerns this life, it also goes beyond the pale of this life, and is finalized in the life to come, the "afterwards" with God.

Having come through this struggle, Asaph's later description of it presents us with another apparent paradox which appears more gripping than the one he himself had to struggle with. Looking back on matters, he acknowledged that he was like a beast to his God, like the horse or mule without understanding (Psalm 32:9), the lower animal that blindly pursues its own will. Yet the LORD did not let him go. He ran away, but yet was held back. The original text brings out the paradoxical element even more: "I was like a beast with Thee … nevertheless I am continually with Thee." How can it be possible?

What strikes us as a contradiction, however, is only a description of the LORD's sovereign and incomprehensible way with all His children. Asaph puts the struggle of every believer into words – insofar as human words can reach it. He recounts the point at which he had given up – only to be taken up by God; the point at which he finally released his grip – only to be gripped by the restraining hand of his Father; the point at which he felt himself fall into the pit – only to be carried up into the everlasting arms, Deuteronomy 33:27. God did not let him go!

But all this is not a unique and private, personal testimony. It is a song of the covenant, a confession of a child of the covenant. Recovering his faith, Asaph aligned himself – and was aligned with – the "generation of Thy children," the remnant of those who in true hope and faith sought the face of the LORD in all their ways, cf. v. 15. He had stood among the faithful, he had sought to obey the LORD's commandments, and then suffered hardships. His faith wavered, but then he saw the miracle of redemption, the miracle of the remnant which is held by grace, brought to faith and restored communion with the LORD.

As a song of struggle in the covenant, these words point prophetically to our Saviour, who more than anyone suffered unjustly, and experienced the hardships of divine rejection. Although He had done no wrong, He was cast off into the depths, forsaken by His God to outer darkness, the darkness of hell. Nevertheless, God held Him, raised Him up, and vindicated Him in His struggle. Although He was without sin, the voice of our Saviour speaks in these words, for "He was made to be sin who knew no sin," (2 Corinthians 5:21), that we might be restored to God.

At the same time, these words speak of the spiritual struggle of every believer in the church, also in the new dispensation. As long as the final fulfilment of the promise remains outstanding, the struggle of faith is not over. And in the covenant we still can be "like a beast" with the LORD, – stubborn, unruly, unwilling to accept His will and direction. But every believer also meets with the same abiding truth: God's wonderful nevertheless. Nevertheless, He holds on to His own, and He does not let us go.

Then we see that the apparent contradiction is not a real paradox; this nevertheless is the miracle of God's grace, the wonder of His mercy and grace through which He keeps us standing while we have let go. At bottom, it is the "nevertheless" of God's election in the covenant, the surprising wonder by which He brings back the erring, and restrains His sheep who so easily wander away. Therefore, here we are beyond personal experience; the wonder of this nevertheless is the common property of the whole church, and every member who has found the LORD, and confessed His name.

Once gripped by the great "nevertheless" of God's choosing hand, the whole world is reordered for Asaph, and for us as well. At the end of the psalm we see how much his vision has changed. Once he thought that the LORD was far from him, and near to the wicked. Then He saw and confessed how near he was to God, how near God was to him, and therefore how far the wicked are removed from God's presence. God had overruled him – all for his good. So He does to all who seek His ways, and acknowledge His sovereign will.

That is why the final song of the church will be a song of glory to God alone, song of praise and adoration because of the great divine "nevertheless" sealed in the eternal counsel of God, effected and completed in the gracious sacrifice of our Saviour, who bore the wrath of God that we might have peace with Him.