John Calvin Commentary Psalms 73:25

"Whom have I in heaven [but thee]? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." — Psalms 73:25 (ASV)

Whom have I in heaven but thee? The Psalmist shows more distinctly how much he had profited in the sanctuary of God; for being satisfied with him alone, he rejects every other object, except God, which presented itself to him. The form of expression he employs, when he joins together an interrogation and an affirmation, is quite common in the Hebrew language, although harsh in other languages.

As for the meaning, there is no ambiguity. David declares that he desires nothing, either in heaven or on earth, except God alone, and that without God, all other objects which usually draw the hearts of people towards them were unattractive to him. And, undoubtedly, God then obtains from us the glory to which he is entitled when, instead of being carried first to one object and then to another, we hold exclusively to him, being satisfied with him alone.

If we give the smallest portion of our affections to the creatures, we, to that extent, defraud God of the honor that belongs to him. And yet nothing has been more common in all ages than this sacrilege, and it prevails too much at the present day. How small is the number of those who keep their affections fixed on God alone!

We see how superstition joins many others with him as rivals for our affections. While adherents of the Papacy admit in word that all things depend upon God, they are, nevertheless, constantly seeking to obtain help from various other sources independently of him. Others, puffed up with pride, have the effrontery to associate either themselves or other people with God.

For this reason, we ought to attend more carefully to this doctrine: that it is unlawful for us to desire any other object besides God. By the words heaven and earth, the Psalmist denotes every conceivable object; but, at the same time, he seems purposely to point to these two in particular.

In saying that he sought no one in heaven but God only, he rejects and renounces all the false gods with which, through the common error and folly of humanity, heaven has been filled. When he affirms that he desires no one on earth besides God, he refers, I suppose, to the deceits and illusions with which almost the whole world is intoxicated.

For those who are not beguiled by the former artifice of Satan into fabricating false gods for themselves, often either deceive themselves by arrogance—trusting in their own skill, strength, or prudence, and thus usurping the prerogatives that belong to God alone—or else they ensnare themselves with deceitful allurements when they rely on the favor of others or trust in their own riches and other resources they possess.

If, then, we would seek God properly, we must beware of going astray into various bypaths and, stripped of all superstition and pride, must turn directly and exclusively to him. This is the only way of seeking him.

The expression, I have desired none other with thee, amounts to this: I know that You by Yourself, apart from every other object, are sufficient—yes, more than sufficient—for me. Therefore, I do not allow myself to be carried away by a variety of desires, but I rest in and am fully contented with You. In short, for us to be satisfied with God alone, it is important for us to know the plenitude of the blessings he offers for our acceptance.