Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 73:17

"Until I went into the sanctuary of God, And considered their latter end." — Psalms 73:17 (ASV)

Until I went into the sanctuary of God - The word “sanctuary” we now apply to a place of public worship; and, thus understood, the passage here would mean that he learned the truth on the subject only by the statements and disclosures made there regarding God’s plans and dealings, and the results of human conduct. This interpretation makes good sense and is true in itself, but it is not the idea in the original text.

The word “sanctuary” in the Old Testament, when used in the singular, refers to the tabernacle or the temple, or more specifically, to the most holy place within them—the unique dwelling place of God. If understood in this singular sense, the idea would be that the psalmist learned the solution to the mystery “there.” However, these were not primarily places of instruction, so it cannot be assumed that the reference is to either of them.

In the original, the word is in the plural—sanctuaries—referring to things that God regarded as holy. The meaning seems to be that the only solution of the case was to be learned from those things which pertained to God’s most holy and secret places, or in those places which were nearest to Him, and where He most clearly revealed Himself.

The difficulty was not to be solved by mere human reasoning—by human abilities apart from God; it was to be learned in the presence of God Himself and through the disclosures He made about His divine plans and purposes. The psalmist had tried his own powers of reason, and the subject was beyond his reach.

The only solution to the difficulty was to be obtained by a near approach to God Himself. There the mystery could be solved, and there it was solved. The “end” of all this, as disclosed by God, would determine why it was permitted and would remove the perplexity of the mind.

Then understood I their end - Literally, their after things; that is, the things which will occur to them hereafter. That solves all the difficulty. There will be a judgment hereafter, and dark as things may now appear, it will be seen in the end, or in the result, that exact and equal justice will be done to all.