"Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." (Prov. 30:8,9)
In these two verses I see an author simply asking God for a simple life. Nothing more; nothing less. This plea for merely the basic elements in life shows a heart seeking to humbly enjoy all things the way the Lord created them to be and credit all to Him. Simple devotion. Simple trust. Simple life. (Not simple as in "ignorant", but as in "not complicated".) This man's desire was to set aside all earthly distractions, from wealth to poverty, that he might simply glorify God.
He asks the Lord in verse 8 to remove vanity(the passing things of this world) and lies FAR from him. "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches...When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors" (Ps. 73:12, 16-19).
This brings to mind the story of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:30-31. "The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, 'O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee...' "
Now there is an example of some serious vanity due to pride and faith in riches!
Look at the outcome: "Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase" (vs. 37).
In the New Testament, those on the other end of the spectrum (the poor) are instructed to "be obedient...Not purloining, [stealing] but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things" (Titus 2:9,10).
What simpler thing is there to ask the Lord for than your allotment in life as He sees fit? When you find yourself searching, ask Him for simple contentment with what He has been pleased to give you.
"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 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" (Ps. 73:25-28).
If I could have the world and all it owns
A thousand kingdoms, a thousand thrones
If all the earth were mine to hold
With wealth my only goal
I'd spend my gold on selfish things
Without the love that Your life brings
Just a little bit more is all I'd need
'Til life was torn from me
If I should walk the streets no place to sleep
No faith in promises You keep
I'd have no way to buy my bread
With a bottle for my bed
But if I trust the One who died for me
Who shed His blood to set me free
If I live my life to trust in You
Your grace will see me through
I'd rather be in the palm of Your hand
Though rich or poor I may be
Faith can see right through the circumstance
Sees the forest in spite of the trees
Your grace provides for me
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