The other day I was at The International House of Prayer in Kansas City, a place of sustained 24/7/365 worship and prayer since 1999. As I sat in that room, I was studying Psalm 37, which is an awesome psalm of David which reminds me so much of the book of Proverbs. It struck me that growing up, Solomon probably heard his father David sing this psalm and he may have even knew it by heart. Since so much of the OT teachings were passed down orally from father to son, it is no surprise that so many things in this Psalm are echoed in Solomon’s book of wisdom, years later. “My son, listen to my words… Write them up on the pages of your heart. Listen and be wise.”
I see this chapter as a shift in focus. It is easy to look around and see people who are wicked and who continually do wrong and envy their prosperity, talents or abilities. But God says, not so — don’t worry about them. For as spring fades in to the winter, they will also fade and wither. Instead, he begins a series of if/then statements which are incredible promises from Yahweh that hinge on our action.
IF we trust in HIM and do good
THEN we will live in safety and prosperity. <PROMISE!> (vs3)
IF we take delight in the Lord
THEN He will give us our heart’s desires! <PROMISE!> (vs4)
IF we commit everything we do unto HIM
IF we trust HIM
THEN He will cause our innocence to be clearly seen and the justice of our cause will since! <PROMISE!> (vs5)
But we need to take heed and not try and get ahead of His plan. Verse 7 is an incredibly hard verse — Rest. Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act! Oh gosh that is so hard sometimes to do. When your mind is going a mile a minute and you can’t stop the flow of thoughts and you want to get up and do something … anything. He says, “No. Rest in me. Wait patiently. I will act. In my time, and in my way. And when I do, I guarantee it will be exactly what I have planned for you and it will be awesome!”
The chapter goes on to talk about how the wicked will do all kinds of stuff. They will plot evil plans; they will draw their sword and string their bows and move against the innocent and oppressed. They borrow and don’t repay. They live in ways that will result in their certain destruction. Don’t worry about it, says the Lord. Their day is coming.
In verses 23-24, there’s a song that Tim Rittenhouse used to sing when I was in Jr. High.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord
And he delighteth in His way.
Though he fall, though he fall
He will not be cast down
For the Lord upholdeth him in His hand!”
Even now as I type this, I can hear him singing it up on the second floor of that little Christian school in upstate NY with his guitar and and a big smile. He loved to sing the scripture. There’s so much truth in those two verse. The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6) and he delights in every detail of their life! Isn’t that cool?! He gets excited; he smiles; he loves every detail of our lives when we follow His path! Though we stumble – like catching your foot on an uneven sidewalk and pitching forward – we don’t fall because he is right beside us, holding our arm as we walk! <PROMISE!>
Pursue godliness. Give generously. Offer good counsel. Fill your hearts with God law so that you will not slip from walking His path. He is our fortress in times of trouble and it is Him in whom we find safety and shelter.
David admonishes again — don’t be impatient for the Lord to act (v34). Stay the course. Travel steadily down His path and keep your eyes fixed on Him. Persevere. Be stable. Don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing. Look for those who are honest and good.
A wonderful future lies before those who love peace.
I love that. That’s where I want to be. One who rests in the Lord and who loves peace.
That’s a great reminder! Goes great with Ps. 73, where Asaph is perplexed about the prosperity of the wicked until he enters the temple and receives understanding of their eventual end. I wonder of 37 & 73 are a coincidence.