10/10/2022
Psalm 37 speaks a great deal about fretting, or worrying to the point of becoming anxious, and also about how the wicked will be overcome by the faith of the righteous through the strength of God. It is good to read this Psalm from time to time because it reassures us of God’s greater plan for us, and how He will keep His promises to us. This chapter inoculates us with hope when the evil and wicked in the world troubles us, or seeks to destroy us. We are told in this Psalm of many ways that God is our strength, and our savior, as we stand against the world.
“The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.”
Psalm 37:39 ESV
Are any among us fretting right now because of something an evil person is doing to them, or perhaps others of us are being tempted by the apparent fortune of a wrongdoer? Well, our strength against such things comes from the Lord, and the very first verse of this Psalm tells us so. We will not fade away, but our adversaries in the world will…
“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.”
Psalm 37:1-2 ESV
We are meant to trust in the Lord, and by holding firmly to our faith we are able to do good. Our reward is certain if we do this, but it is not the same reward that those in the world will receive. They might appear to prosper now, but that prosperity is short lived, and they will certainly wither, and fade away, but as Christians our reward is more, it is eternal. Our reward is greater than silver or gold; it is peace, joy, and being loved eternally by God our Father. It is dwelling in His house forever with Jesus, and never having reason to fret. This is every believer’s greatest desire… this is our heart’s desire above all else.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:3-4 ESV
We are told time and again not to focus on the world and its inhabitants, and yet we see so many people who claim to be followers of Christ, and children of God, being consumed by the quest for wealth, and what the world has to offer. They are wooed into placing these things above God. It is true that the Lord will occasionally reward His followers with worldly gifts and we see this in Abraham’s flocks, and in the fortunes of Job, David, Solomon, and others, but these are men who sought God before all else, and did not seek the world’s bounty as their greatest desire, and their goal in life. Unlike the rich young man who walked away from Jesus when he found that he had to abandon his wealth to obtain eternal life, they chose God over the world… so let’s ask ourselves which life we are leading.
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!”
Psalm 37:7 ESV
No, the reward of the faithful is far greater than silver and gold that will fall from a man’s hand and be covered by the ground once more. It is heavenly in its nature, and never fades away, nor does it return to the ground from whence it came… it is of eternal construction… our rewards are peace, joy, and every other unfailing characteristic of God Himself.
“In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
Psalm 37:10-11 ESV
So as we read Psalm 37 we are encouraged, strengthened, and taught to pursue those things that are of God; eternal. We are shown the difference between lives that are everlasting in God, and the short lived lives of the worldly. Over and over again we are shown the difference between God’s faithful, and those in the world, and promised His protection against them, and evil.
Read this Psalm today, and then let’s adjust our lives accordingly. Let’s take refuge in God, and make eternity in His presence our heart’s desire.
“The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”
Psalm 37:40 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for being our strength, and protector against the evil that is in the world. Thank you for being our stronghold in times of trouble, and for leading us away from evil, and temptation. Help us to remain focused on you, and all that is good, and lead us to you through Jesus Christ your son. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who loves us, redeems us, protects us, and gives us escape from all temptation. Praised be your name for defeating all the wicked, and evil that comes against us for you have overcome these. Your mercy knows no bounds, and your grace is sufficient for all who seek you. Wash us clean of sin in the blood of your Son Jesus, and transform us from those who once sought the world into righteous men and women who seek you above all else. Hear our prayers as we seek you with fear and trembling, and call us worthy as our prayers are carried before you in a golden censor, and their smoke wafts up before your throne as a sweet smell… pleasing to you. Seat us at your table Father, and feed us your Word forevermore.
Rich Forbes