Psalm 37:1-7
“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.”
I love reading the Psalms. They express joy and despair, happiness and sadness, getting answers and waiting for a long time to get answers.
One of the attractive things about Psalms is that it is penned by people who are pouring their heart out. They leave nothing unsaid. If they want their enemies defeated (as David often sung), they express that to God. If they think God is taking longer than they want, they express that. There is nothing left unsaid between man and God when it comes to Psalms.
When I came across Psalm 37, I noticed that Psalms not only express our deepest needs and concerns, but they also give quality advice to live by. Whether or not we take the advice is up to us. Here's what I saw out of the first seven verses...
Do not fret because of those who do evil or be envious of those who do wrong...
I'm tempted more than I should allow myself to be in noticing how the ones who have no regard for God appear to enjoy the thrills of life. Social media feeds this temptation when I see non-Christian friends taking more trips across the world, enjoying more luxuries, and living very carefree. But, I keep reading Scripture and see that the thrills and luxuries of life are fleeting. They won't last as long as I think they might. Happiness is fleeting; joy is eternal.
Trust in the Lord and do good...
As a missionary with Chi Alpha, it's easy to say "Yeah, I totally trust in the Lord!" But a deeper look into my heart and I notice that I'm trusting in Him in some areas, but not in others. I can have total trust when it comes to something as big as personal salvation, but fail to trust in areas of finance.
When I trust Him, I abandon my anxiety and my worries in the areas that make me most uncomfortable. I learn to do good as I trust Him. Trusting helps me to realize that I'm not facing things alone, but He's with me on this journey.
Take delight in the Lord...
What does it mean to take delight in the Lord? This is a question that I'm asking myself. A better question would be, "What am I taking delight in at this present moment that is keeping my attention (my delight) off of the Lord?"
We take pleasure in trinkets, people, and programs over the Lord because it's easier to control our trinkets. We turn, twist, contort, and manipulate all of these things because we think it brings us joy and satisfaction.
The Lord, on the other hand, may ask something of us we're not willing to part with so easily. He does this not because He's a bully, but because He's calling us to something greater. And if He's calling us to something greater, He's gentle enough to help us move forward despite our stubborn nature.
Commit your way to the Lord...
Each day, there are opportunities laid out: opportunities where I can work to serve my own agenda, or where I can work to serve the Lord's agenda. Committing to the Lord is like being drafted in the Major Leagues. When the player puts on the hat and holds up the jersey and gets the photo taken, what is being symbolized in that moment is this player is now part of this team and is going to work for the betterment of the program and give all their effort and energy to see the program succeed. Am I doing the same when I climb out of bed each morning? Am I doing the same throughout the day? Am I committing when I end the day and spend time with family?
We are privy to overcommit, spreading ourselves wafer thin and leaving nothing but fragments for those closest to us. Yet, on the other side of the coin, we can become complacent and under-commit. We fill our schedule to bare minimum and wonder why the homeless shelter in town can't get enough volunteers on the weekends.
Be still before the Lord...wait patiently for him
This is a tough one. You know as well as I do that we live in an age where technology giants are working tirelessly to make the average person's life as simplistic as possible. Look around and take note of what amenities you enjoy from the labor of technology. I enjoy them, too, but when our lives are filled with quick responses and immediate gratification, it spills over into our spiritual lives. Our view of God is transformed into a cacophony of alerts and tones that leave us very impatient when awaiting an answer from Him.
When the answer takes longer than we need, we then try to provide the answer on our own. Saul did this when he was waiting on the priest, Samuel, to sacrifice before going into battle. (see 1 Samuel 13:1-14) Very few times do we benefit from moving ahead without the Lord's help.
What do you most appreciate about the Psalms? Do you have a favorite one?
