Psalm 37
Patience in a Disordered Age
How do we live faithfully in a broken world? What keeps us going when we see evil thriving?
This is a Psalm of Wisdom, inviting us not to be swept up by the world but to live by God’s word.
Of David.
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 he will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.7 Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret – it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.
“Do not fret”. Three times we hear this exhortation from the King. The accent on fretting here is the slippery slope toward rage. See how in v8, David shows that this kind of fretting can lead to evil, one characterised by wrath and anger.
Fretting and anxiety easily entangles itself in seeing the injustice of the world without remembering the promises of God. Here we are encouraged to not get caught up in fixating on the unfaithful. On the ones who spurn grace and withhold grace from others.
But instead we are to press into the riches, practices and values of the Kingdom. God’s people are counselled to trust and hope in the LORD, committing ourselves and our ways to his wise and sovereign rule. But more than that. Christ’s church is to delight in the LORD, to dwell in his presence as we still our thumping hearts. This is what Jesus meant, speaking to disciples when he called on them to abide in him (John 15.4), amidst the animosity of the world (John 16.1-3).
Instead of trying to take matters into our own hands, all that matters is that we entrust it into the hands of God. For while it looks as though the wicked are winning, they will disappear like the morning mist when the radiant rays of the God’s righteous judgement shine through.
And the meek will inherit the earth. This is where Jesus mined the third beatitude from (Matthew 5.5). This is the promise that the the patient and faithful are truly blessed for they will receive the promise of an earth purged of evil.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.18 The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
and their inheritance will endure for ever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.20 But the wicked will perish:
though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
The wicked plot and connive. The Devil schemes and strategises. But the Lord laughs.
Their coffers swell and their power grows. The Deceiver’s influence widens and deepens.
But it is only for a brief moment in time. The tools of their oppression over the weak will become the instruments of their own downfall (vv14-15).
While the wicked are dispossessed of their ill-possessed gain, the riches of the righteous are secure in heaven’s vaults, “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (1 Peter 1.4).
Those who commit themselves to the care of the Good Shepherd know that earthly ill-gain is merely loss compared to the glorious riches of heaven secured for us by Christ (vv16-17; see Matthew 6.19-21; Philippians 3.8).
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.23 The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land for ever.
28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
29 The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it for ever.
A theme we are starting to grasp in this Psalm is that some are short-sighted and others are future-sighted. This is seen in their respective greed and generosity.
The wicked borrow but never considers returning, restoring and repaying what has been taken. They do not concern themselves with the hurt or loss of others. Only their own happiness concerns themselves.
Yet the righteous hold tightly to the heavenly promises of God and so hold lightly to their worldly possessions. They are seen as ways to bless and support others.
Those who are solely concerned with their benefit right now will surely be cursed in the future.
But God says those concerned with others will inherit the land and dwell in it for ever.
30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
33 but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.34 Hope in the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.
38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future for the wicked.39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
In the climax to this Psalm, David speaks from his personal experience, seeing God’s faithfulness in action.
Though the weeds grow and spread for a time, God in the end plucks them up and throws them out (35-36).
Though the saints suffer for a time, God will vindicate them, redeem them, plucking them out of the chains of death and exalting them to everlasting life.
And the true King knows this from personal experience. The whole world was against him, but his salvation came from his Heavenly Father who lifted him out from the grave and exalted him, giving him the name above every other name (Philippians 2.5-11).
And so our King Jesus says to us, “Hope in the LORD”. For what he has done for Jesus, he will do for all those who confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised him from the dead.
Glory be to God the Father, our stronghold in times of trouble.
Glory be to God the Son, who is exalted as King of the New Creation.
Glory be to God the Spirit, who leads the meek and patient to the land of plenty.
Ever three and ever One.