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When you look at culture and see the wicked prosper, when it seems righteousness is in retreat and there is no hope . . .
Read Psalm 37 again, and again, and again!
Psalm 37 is written by King David toward the end of his life. He has decades from which to consider the fate of those who serve God and those who fight against God’s ways.
He sums up his conclusions by writing at the end of this psalm . . .
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked (vv. 37-38, NIV).
Psalm 37 is a blessing and a warning chapter. We receive blessings from following God, and there are warnings if we decide to rebel against His righteousness.
Some of the great promises of the Bible for God-followers are in this chapter . . .
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart (v. 4).
The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty (vv. 18-19).
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread (v. 25).
Also, there are warnings for the wicked . . .
For like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away (v. 2).
The Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming (v. 13).
Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken (v. 15).
In a world where morals are topsy-turvy, and mockers debase God’s word – God tells us in Psalm 37 . . .
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 (v. 7).
Psalm 37 is a longer psalm but well worth reading several times on a morning when we feel discouraged. There is a back and forth with this psalm, a rhythm comparing good and evil.
As I read this psalm, defeat and discouragement in my spirit recede, and I find faith and hope increasing. Psalm 37 was written as a worship song, and the praise in this psalm enlarges God’s presence in my life.
Let me give us a challenge.
The next time we are in a city or place where the opposite of God’s will is celebrated, let’s open our Bible app, stand on a street corner, and silently read Psalm 37.
There is power in the Word of God. Just read and see what God does. We don’t need to read it out loud . . . silently . . . quietly . . . and then watch!
Trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun (vv. 5-6).