Psalm 40:4,5 I MUST TELL YOU WHY I AM BLESSED!

READ PSALM 40

Those who know God cannot help but praise Him!

Psalm 40:4-5

4 Blessed is the man who makes

the Lord his trust,

who does not turn to the proud,

to those who go astray after a lie!

5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,

your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;

none can compare with you!

I will proclaim and tell of them,

yet they are more than can be told. 

John 6:68-69

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 

To know the living God and know He is our Lord and Savior makes us truly blessed! This world is a hard place to go through, for sin has ruined all. We cannot trust ourselves, we cannot trust the world. Apart from God, we cannot know what is really true and valuable. We will always be prone to follows lies. Our hearts are deceitful and our minds are confused, when left to ourselves.

Those who have trusted the Lord know that this faith is a wonderful gift that God has given them. It is God Who revealed Himself through the Scriptures and Who sent His Son to live among men with the distinct purpose of dying for the sins of those who believe in Him, and rose again victorious, so we could have eternal hope, eternal life.

Wise men put their trust in the Lord. These truths have been so bright and so wonderfully displayed for me lately. As my mother is coming to a close of her journey in life, as her body is weakening and her breathing gets harder and harder, her serenity displays the amazing truth of how blessed those are, who have put their trust in God. Watching my father deal with this difficult reality of seeing his life partner fade slowly toward her eternal life with God with such peace and assurance because of his trust in God is a resounding testimony to me of God’s grace.

How unwise and arrogant do we become when we lend our ear to lies, when we let people divert us from trusting and following our God and Savior. David was resolved, he had set his foot on the rock, he was trusting God.

When we stop and reflect, we will also see how God has shown His wonderful works towards us. His actions are the result of His thoughts and eternal, faithful love toward us. He loved His own from eternity past, and will never stop loving for ever. Every one of His actions, everything that has happened to us, was part of His eternal plan to conform us to the image of His Son. He has perfectly loved His Son forever and wants us to be like Him.

Psalm 84:11

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly. 

He is the one Who causes us to love Him and gives us the strength to walk in His ways. He works in us and provides all that is good and useful for us. We are so blessed. Serving Him should be our only response; telling others of our Lord, like David in this psalm, should be our only endeavor.

In yesterday’s mail, I received a precious book. The title is: “What am I useful for if I don’t Serve?” When my mother received the news that she had a few months to live, she decided to write a book about serving the Lord with faithfulness. At 89, after a life spent serving the Lord with my father, what a blessed way to use her last strength left. There is wonderful verse written by the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians on the back cover.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

…and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 

David, although we know his sins, had committed to serve his Lord. We have the examples of many who have been faithful in serving God, and their lives are filled with reasons to praise God. All our lives are overwhelmed by the constant grace of God.

Every thing we have, every breath we take, every sin forgiven, every circumstance we have encountered, every time we have been protected from dangers known and unknown, every time we have received a kind act, every time we have had food to eat, everything is the display of God’s benevolent hand upon us. Many live unaware or rebelling against the God of the Bible; they are truly miserable, fighting for significance in a lost world. Reality is that no one can be compared to our God.

I have been blessed: blessed by the love of God and his wonderful works that cannot be numbered! God has shown me His grace through my parents, as their lives shine with the faith and hope that display what it means to know and trust their Lord and Savior.

May our lives shine bright because of our God! Those who know God cannot help but praise Him!

PSALM 40:1-3 I HAVE MANY REASONS TO PRAISE GOD!

HE IS MY GOD!

READ PSALM 40

Psalm 40:1-3

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,

out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

making my steps secure.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the Lord. 

He is my God! What a privilege to think about our loving God.

He loved me before the foundation of the world.

Ephesians 1:4-5 …even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 

He loved me when I was His enemy.

Romans 5:8 …but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

He loved me when I was not even looking for Him.

Romans 3:10-11       as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

He loved me, so He sent His Son to die for me for my sins.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 

He loved me, so He gave me His Word.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 

He loved me and sent the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort me.

John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 

He loves me, so He has sealed me with the work of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. 

He loves me, so He protects me.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 

He loves me, so He disciplines me.

Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 

He loves me, so He gave me the church.

Ephesians 4:11-13 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 

The list could go on and on… You are probably thinking that I forgot some other wonderful reasons to rejoice in our God! This is the God Who saved us and walks with us. David knew this holy God, the eternal, perfectly wise, powerful-without-limit, loving God who chose to reveal Himself to us, and graciously chose to love us when we could offer nothing to Him. We cannot even offer our ability to remain faithful, because it is He Who gives and sustains faith.

David waited for Him in his times of distress, and found in Him the comfort he was looking for.

God listens to our cries, He hears what no one else hears, He knows the pains that we do not even know how to explain; He know us and He hears us. What a wonderfully comforting image inspired by God, in verse 1, to portray God’s interest in our cries to Him: that He inclines toward us!

God is perfectly able to bring us out of the most deep, destructive hole we will ever be in. In fact, there is no deeper, desperate place than our state before He saved us. God places us in a safe place, where our steps are secure. He guides us, informing us about how we should walk through life, what our goals should be, where our joy should come from, where we should place our confidence, what we should avoid, what we should actively run from.

Our eternal destiny is secure, our present is cared for, and our future is sure. He is our God! Do you know the God of the Bible? He is not a god created by man. As you study the Bible, you will find out that He is more holy that you ever imagined, that you are more unworthy than you ever understood, that He is more wise and powerful and loving than you could ever comprehend. You cannot know Him through your thoughts, your feelings or imagination. Your only valid source of information about God comes from His Word, which is the Bible. All other supposed revelations about God are NOT true and are not worthy to be believed.

So then, how should you live, when you are related to God as His believing child, and thus an inheritor with Christ of all spiritual blessings?

A new song of praise should be the natural outflow of this awareness. Why is it not always like this? Because we lose sight of the grace of God. What should we do if we find ourselves failing to praise God? Stop – reflect – meditate – thank – praise.

God never changes, no matter the circumstance or the trial we are facing. He is consistently faithful to His character and His promises. He is, at all times, worthy of our praise.

A praising believer will cause others to become aware of the God of the Bible. Our life will attract others to Christ, when, in the midst of our trials, we rest in God and praise Him for His help.

He is my God! I will praise Him for revealing Himself to me, for transforming my life, for give me a sure hope, and using me to shine for Him. It is definitely worthwhile to wait on God!

PSALM 39 - WHEN DIFFICULTIES COME, WHAT DO WE SAY?

DO WE LOOK AT OUR LIVES ON EARTH THE WAY WE SHOULD?

READ PSALM 39

Psalm 39:1-3

1 I said, “I will guard my ways,

that I may not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,

so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

2 I was mute and silent;

I held my peace to no avail,

and my distress grew worse.

3 My heart became hot within me.

As I mused, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue: 

As David dealt with the distresses in his life, he had determined not to sin by his speech. His silence protected him from rebelling against God, as well as from damaging his testimony before the wicked.

As the agony of his difficulty mounted within him, he could not keep his silence any longer:

Psalm 39:4-6

4 “O Lord, make me know my end

and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting I am!

5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,

and my lifetime is as nothing before you.

Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah

6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow!

Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;

man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

David does not sin, he does not rebel or speak against God, he just asks his Lord to help him remember the frailty and shortness of human life.

Are we committed not to speak against God and not to become a bad testimony to the unsaved? This psalm should be a warning about how we react to our own difficulties. When we complain, or become angry or bitter, we are rebelling against God.

Our testimony of faith in Christ can be tainted by the way we deal with life’s situations. Are we shining witnesses to our spouse and children? Do those people who live in close contact with us know us as complainers? David had committed not to speak against his God, no matter what his circumstances were.

David’s reflection caused him to also look at his life with an awareness of its frailty and brevity. Are our reactions and attitudes so earthly that we forget how momentary our life is?

God’s intention is always to drive us to Him, to promote dependence upon Him. Our trials are a gift of God, as they put our priorities in perspective and expose our frailty.

Psalm 39:7-11

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Do not make me the scorn of the fool!

9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,

for it is you who have done it.

10 Remove your stroke from me;

I am spent by the hostility of your hand.

11 When you discipline a man

with rebukes for sin,

you consume like a moth what is dear to him;

surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 

David’s reactions are a good example for us. Totally dependent on God, he recognizes that all is under the control of His sovereign Lord, and repents, asking God to deliver him.

Do we continue to place our hope in God? Are these our reactions to the difficulties of life?  Do we examine ourselves before we judge others? Do we guard our hearts and minds, as we recognize the sovereignty of God in all our situations?

I am afraid that often we are driven by pride and think that we deserve better than the lot we have been given. We look at others as the cause of our misery. We spin our wheels, in our desire to escape our circumstances.

Psalm 39:12-13

“Hear my prayer, O Lord,

and give ear to my cry;

hold not your peace at my tears!

For I am a sojourner with you,

a guest, like all my fathers.

13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,

before I depart and am no more!” 

David does not desist from asking God for reprieve. But he realizes that he is just a pilgrim on earth.

Do we look at our lives on earth the way we should? We are temporary sojourners, pilgrims, progressing through life not as victims, but as witnesses of God’s power and glory.

1 Peter 2:11-12

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 

Life is hard! We certainly can ask God for reprieve, knowing that He is in control. We should commit to keep our tongue from sinning. And remembering the brevity of our lives, we should make sure that they invite others to recognize the presence and power of our God, Who deserves all glory.

PSALM 38 OUR SIN SHOULD DRIVE US TO GOD!

OUR GOD IS A FORGIVING GOD

READ THE PSALM

Psalm 38

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

1 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,

nor discipline me in your wrath!

2 For your arrows have sunk into me,

and your hand has come down on me. 

In this psalm that David has designated for the memorial offering, he speaks about his sin and the anguish that it has caused. We do not know if this memorial is David’s request to God to remember him, or it is for himself, to remember his sin and God’s forgiveness. As we read through this psalm, though, it is abundantly clear that sin has had a profound effect in David’s life.

He knows that he deserves the discipline of God and that God has not remained indifferent. We certainly know from the Word of God, that David had to endure the consequences of his sin; we also know that he repented of his sin before God.

When we sin, we are not thinking about how foolish it is to sin, to be willing to trade the peace and wisdom that comes from God for some temporary pleasure. In verse five, David makes it very clear that his choice to sin was certainly foolish.

His sin brought both internal consequences and external ones, leaving David in distress, bearing its weight. His inner tumult is the result of his sorrow for the effect of God’s indignation about his iniquities.

David’s repentance and sorrow are real. They are directed to his Lord. He knows that he has offended his God and is bearing the weight of His judgment. He really does not have anything to offer God, apart from his sorrow and repentance. He knows that God is totally aware of what is going on in his heart. He is utterly dependent on God for forgiveness and for protection from his enemies.

He realizes that his enemies are also part of God’s rebuke and discipline, but His pressing priority is to be close to his God, living in repentant and humble submission to Him.

Only God has an acceptable solution, and David is willing to wait upon Him. The Lord is the One who can save him and forgive him. David is expectant, relying upon God’s rescue.

As we meditate on these words, some thoughts come to mind on how we should approach our own sin.

We should never be attracted by momentary pleasure. Sin is always the result of our foolish rebellion. The author of Hebrews, in chapter 11, reminds us that Moses chose to serve God instead of being allured by the pleasures of sin.

We should never minimize it.  God is always offended by it, and it will always bring consequences in our lives.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

We should never justify it. We should never blame our sin on our circumstances or the behavior of others.

Proverbs 28:13

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,

but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

We should never overlook the heavy hand of God. God will let the weight of sin come upon us. We should be questioning our relationship with Him, if, when we sin, we do not experience His heavy hand upon us.

Hebrews 12:5-6

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

nor be weary when reproved by him.

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

and chastises every son whom he receives.” 

We should never blame God for the consequences for our sin. Sin will leave scars that will be loving constant and useful reminders of our foolishness.

Colossians 3:5-6

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 

We should never believe that we are slaves to sin. If we have justified our sin because “we cannot help it”, we must repent. Only unbelievers are slaves to sin!

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 

We should never forget that God forgives sin. We must believe that God is faithful to His promises and will forgive confessed sin.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Although David felt the weight of sin, he knew that he needed to turn to God and repent. He knew that God could refresh his soul and protect him from his enemies.

Psalm 38:18

I confess my iniquity;

I am sorry for my sin. 

As we recognize sin and its gravity before God, we have only one place to go: to the feet of Jesus. May the Lord help us to view sin the way God sees it, and may we rejoice in forgiveness, with a renewed appreciation for the amazing gift that it is to us.

Psalm 38:21-22

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord!

O my God, be not far from me!

22 Make haste to help me,

O Lord, my salvation! 

Psalm 37:34-40 ARE YOU CONVINCED THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL?

READ THE PSALM

God desires His children to find their shelter in Him He is in control of our days.

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,

and he will exalt you to inherit the land;

you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,

spreading himself like a green laurel tree.

36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;

though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,

for there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;

the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;

he is their stronghold in the 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. 

When Jesus prayed in the Garden: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” The cost was very clear to Him. He knew He would carry the weight of the sins of men. He knew they were sins that He had never committed. He knew that He would receive the full, perfect and holy wrath of His Father. He would experience the separation and the abandonment from God the Father that every human deserves. How did He do it? He kept His eyes fixed on the goal.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Jesus knew the joy of knowing that because of His obedience to the Father’s will, you and I would be saved, and that we would be spending eternity worshiping His Father. It was a joy to be the means of the salvation of the elect.

David concludes this psalm by inviting us to wait on God, to trust His purposes, to rest in His justice, to enjoy the wonder of His promises.

God is looking for men and women to humbly place their complete trust in Him, and, enjoy the peace of God, as they promote peace with Him to others. When we become unsatisfied and ungrateful, when we lose sight of the eternal purposes of God and the privilege we have to be His instruments, we not only lose that peace, but we also are no longer promoters and preachers of peace.

We cannot fix our eyes on ourselves or on the present. There is an everlasting future, and it is in the hands of our mighty God.

The psalms have often referred to life’s hardships. We can spin our wheels, trying to make our life more comfortable as we place ourselves at the center of our efforts, or we can trust God to give us the necessary strength to endure and trust Him for the perfect outcome that He has planned.

God desires His children to find their shelter in Him; He is in control of our days.

Our eternal salvation is dependent totally on the work of Christ, we cannot do anything to invite it or pay for it. Our lives, what we possess, what we endure, our health -- everything is dependent on God. We can choose to go through life gratefully, satisfied with what God gives us, or with dissatisfied bitterness. But either way, our circumstances will continue to be in the hands of God.

Paul, in all the trials of his life, had learned to trust God.

2 Timothy 1:8-12

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. 

We have the privilege of being a testimony for Christ and trusting God through the hardships of life. May our lives today reflect that trust.

LIFE IS HARD; IS BEING FAITHFUL WORTH IT?

WOULD WE EXCHANGE THE ETERNAL FOR THE TEMPORAL?

READ THE PSALM

Psalm 37:27-3

27 Turn away from evil and do good;

so shall you dwell forever.

28 For the Lord loves justice;

he will not forsake his saints.

They are preserved forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land

and dwell upon it forever.

Is it really worth it? Here I am living the kind of life that God wants me to live and I continue to have problems. I am trusting God and my finances don’t seem to get better. I live my life according to God’s principles and I still cannot find a job, or the one I have continues to be unfair. I depend on God and my health continues to deteriorate. I am trying to be godly and my family relationships never seem to get better. Is it worth it when there is a cost involved in following Christ and those that don’t seem to have the blessings I wish I had (and really I think I deserve)? I have served God faithfully for so many years, I have endured hardships for such a long time, isn't it time for my trial to be over? God, are You watching?

Have these thoughts ever taken place in your life in one shape or another? This psalm is such a wonderful reminder of the sovereign purposes of God. God’s eternal purposes are at work! God has never forsaken you, and never will. God’s children need fear neither the present, nor the future. God is delighted in our godly responses to our trials and difficulties. God is pleased with the work He is doing in us and through us, and loves the ultimate results. He loves watching us become more similar to His beloved Son. He is pleased when our lives cause other believers to trust and love Him more. A feast is prepared in heaven every time an unbeliever comes to saving faith, and He uses the testimony of His own to attract them to Himself.

Is it worth it? It certainly is, when we keep eternal values in mind!

Do not be enticed to do evil! If you allow your mind to carry you in the wrong direction, your actions will be evil.

Those who have their minds set on things above will act accordingly.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,

and his tongue speaks justice.

31 The law of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not slip. 

The words, the reactions, the life of those who truly know and trust their God will be a light to others. Even though the wicked might take advantage of their godliness, God is still in total control. The wicked are totally under the control of God.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous

and seeks to put him to death.

33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power

or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 

Dear friend, you might be going through what seems the longest and hardest trial you have ever faced. You feel like you have been pushed to the brink of despair. You feel hopeless and crushed. You see no end in sight. But God is not asking you to figure out the future. He is asking to rest in Him.

He is asking you and me to weigh our circumstances in light of what is eternal. Would we really exchange the eternal for temporal, to have some reprieve? Would we exchange the honor of bringing glory to God for a time of temporal comfort?

Is it hard? Yes, it is. Is it overwhelming? Some times it seems that way. Is it worth it? It certainly is.

Keep God’s Word in your heart! Saturate your mind with what is true! Love the character and promises of God! Walk in righteousness! God is watching, He is wise, He is righteous, He is powerful, and He loves you.

Romans 8:28-30

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Many read and love verse 28, but forget to allow God to define “good”. His definition of good is explained in the following verses. ‘Good’ is to be conformed in the image of His Son, ‘good’ is the fact that we have been justified and we know that we will be glorified.

Is it worth it? The answer for those who love God and are allowing God’s word to shape their affections is easy: “Certainly, YES”!

Psalm 37:18-19 GOD IS HOLDING YOUR HAND!

GOD PROTECTS US FROM WHAT WE DON'T NEED AND PROVIDES WHAT WE REALLY NEED

READ THE PSALM

Psalm 37:18-19

The Lord knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will remain forever;

19 they are not put to shame in evil times;

in the days of famine they have abundance. 

Even though the wicked seem to prosper, David continues to give the readers of this wonderful psalm reason to trust in God.

God is totally aware of the lives of those who are His and trust in Him. Their lives will leave a legacy of righteousness, and He will take care of them in every hardship of life.

God promised to take care of His own many times in the Scriptures.

Isaiah 41:10

fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 

The Apostle Peter reminds us that our trust must be preceded by humility. Humility requires our admission of inability, our recognition of God’s ability and consequential total trust and dependence on Him. Only then will we have the peace and rest that we so desire. Why would we not be satisfied with God, when the final outcome is certain?

It is certain for the wicked.

Psalm 37:20

But the wicked will perish;

the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. 

It is certain for the righteous.

Psalm 37:21-22

The wicked borrows but does not pay back,

but the righteous is generous and gives;

22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 

Why would ever focus on what we can see now? Why would we allow the temporal to drive our emotions, desires, and reactions? Not only should we look to God for our provision, but we should be generous with what we have. The wicked accumulates because he believes that his sustainability rests on his ability, the godly is generous because he knows his provision is unending, adequate, and timely.

Psalm 37:23-24

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

when he delights in his way;

24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

for the Lord upholds his hand. 

What a beautiful image! God is holding our hand! I am reminded of walking with my children in the city of Rome on the sidewalk. There were the dangers for them from the traffic, the possibility of stumbling and falling, or of getting lost. My grasp on the hand of my squirming child was not restrictive, but protective.

God is holding our hands, as we walk through the difficulties of life, and while we are evaluating what we have and observing what others are enjoying. We are not being deprived, we are not being abandoned. God is holding our hand, protecting us from what we really don’t need, keeping us close and dependent on Him.

I remember how many times my children stumbled, but did not fall because I was holding their hand. Those mishaps usually were followed by pleasurable times, when the little unaware hand stopped struggling to get loose and found comfort in being held.

God is so kind in reminding us today, that we should not be squirming in our trusting dependence on Him. We are certainly not wise enough to even know what we really need. We are not knowledgeable enough to know the dangers of possessing what would certainly not be good for us.

David had observed God’s provision; his experience had proven God to be faithful.

Psalm 37:25-26

25 I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or his children begging for bread.

26 He is ever lending generously,

and his children become a blessing. 

David had observed the continuous care of God. His care is not only sufficient, but generous. Let’s not forget that as God takes care of our needs, not our wants, He wants us to be generous and to be a blessing to others.

May we go out today and live with satisfied dependence on God, being generous with what He has given us. May we be a blessing to others!

PSALM 37:9-17 THE WICKED WILL NOT PROSPER FOREVER!

God defines our needs and meets them with timeliness care and love

READ THE PSALM

Psalm 37:9-11

9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;

though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

11 But the meek shall inherit the land

and delight themselves in abundant peace. 

We should not be disturbed by the prosperity of the wicked or envy them, but instead we should trust our lives to the Lord. David has been clear that we should act righteously when we see evil men prosper, for their well being is only momentary. They will not prosper forever.

The end of those who will not follow Christ is set. Only those who humbly repent before Him will have everlasting life and abundant peace. Jesus repeated these same words in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:5

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 

Jesus meant that after a person has recognized himself as destitute, without anything good to offer God, and has repented of his sins, then the natural consequence is to entrust oneself in the arms of God. There are no demands, no rights claimed, just humble submission and dependence on God.

Matthew 11:29

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

Jesus was meek, He was gentle, He was not arrogant, He did not look for revenge: He was our perfect example. When we truly submit and depend in faith upon God, we will find rest. We say we want rest, but are we willing to allow God to work and to wait on Him?

James 3:13-18

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

Our actions will expose the direction of our hearts.

Psalm 37:12-15

12 The wicked plots against the righteous

and gnashes his teeth at him,

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose way is upright;

15 their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken. 

God is watching; He is total control. The wicked will never commit any action that God will not permit. We will never be beyond the arm of protection of God. The wicked only seem to be victorious. If we truly trust God, we should never feel defeated.

Psalm 37:16-17

16 Better is the little that the righteous has

than the abundance of many wicked.

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the Lord upholds the righteous. 

If only we could learn to be satisfied with what we have. God is watching and providing for us. He never promised to meet our wants. God is the one Who defines our needs and meets them with timeliness, care and love.

Philippians 4:19

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

God does not lack ability, desire or provision! Why would we fret? Why would we go elsewhere? Why would we ever envy?

May our day today be filled with awareness of God’s provision.

DRIVEN BY THE ETERNAL!

OUR CHOICES EXPOSE OUR HEART

READ THE PSALM

Psalm 37:5,6

5 Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.

6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.

As David continues in this psalm, having reminded us not to envy the wicked, even if they seem to prosper and have what we think we need, he goes on to tell us what our attitude and resolve should be.

We must truly commit our way and trust our way to the Lord. God is at work all the time. Although His purposes are never thwarted by our distrust, we suffer loss of inner peace and fail to walk in righteousness.

We must relinquish our desire to have control over our lives. Committing our ways to the Lord includes at least two ideas: One is to truly desire eternal values. We cannot allow the world to make its standards ours; rather, we must be driven by God’s eternal purposes. He wants to grow us in the image of His Son, He wants us to help other believers in their walk of sanctification, and He wants us to share the Gospel with a lost world. The second one is to find true contentment in what God is ordaining for us.

I must constantly ask myself a very simple question: “What is driving my life”? I must trust God. How do you know if you are trusting God? A trusting heart is a peaceful heart.

Isaiah 26:3,4

3 You keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on you,

because he trusts in you.

4 Trust in the Lord forever,

for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

We must control our minds. Our thoughts must be shaped by the Word of God. The character of God, His power, His wisdom, and His love should bring complete comfort for us. God never changes; His perfect and righteous purposes are eternal.

When we truly commit our way to the Lord, then our actions will also be visibly righteous. People will see God at work in us.

As Jesus told His disciples about His departure, an event that would rock their world, He also left them with some words that should accompany His every follower:

John 14:1

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

The psalmist goes on to tell us what we should and should not do.

Psalm 37:7,8

7 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!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

Two times the psalmist uses the word ‘fret’. We should not be agitated or disturbed by the prosperity of the wicked. Our responsibility is to be still and wait patiently for God to act, and not to become angry.

Anger always exposes our desire to put ourselves at the center. We are rebelling against God’s sovereignty, believing that we deserve something better than what we have.

Anger against events or people is a sign of impatience and dissatisfaction. As we deal with situations in our lives and the people that surround us, we often come to a fork in the road: trust God or fight. The first road will lead us in a path of rest and dependence that pleases God, but the second one will lead us to sin.

We must resolve today to truly trust God and be willing to wait on His work. Our reactions and attitudes will expose whether our heart is in a state of contentment, or dissatisfaction.

God is so good to give us this psalm to guide our thoughts today, as we go out into a world where the wicked seem to prosper. We will see, as the psalm progresses, that it’s only temporary.

Let’s keep eternal values and goals in mind today! 

Psalm 37:1-2 WHOM OR WHAT DO YOU ENVY?

OUR THOUGHTS NEED TO BE SHAPED BY THE WORD OF GOD

Read the PSALM

Psalm 37:1-2

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;

be not envious of wrongdoers!

2 For they will soon fade like the grass

and wither like the green herb. 

Fret not: ‘do not be worried or vexed, do not be corroded or agitated’, from the English dictionary. In the original language, this word is also often translated as ‘anger’. As he writes this psalm, David is commanding us to respond correctly to the apparent success of those who do evil.

Because evildoers surround us, we are daily tempted to look at their prosperity and envy them. We might even assume that our position and righteousness as God’s children should entitle us to the blessings of prosperity, or at least some measure of comfort.

God wants us, instead, to have a proper perspective. We need to fix our eyes on the eternal, not on the temporal. The wicked will soon fade away, with all their belongings.

Jesus said it very clearly when He spoke to the crowds:

Matthew 6:19-21

 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

If our lives are fixed on the temporal, then earthly possessions will take hold of our heart. Our lives will be driven by accumulating and protecting that which will merely corrode or can be stolen away.

It’s interesting that when our hearts and minds begin to envy others or be angered by our perceived needs not being supplied, we are exposing our lack of trust in God. We are rebelling against God’s all-wise provision and justice.

Psalm 37:3-4

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

David, inspired by God, gives us some very clear instructions about the attitudes and actions that should be filling our hearts and lives.

We should trust the Lord, do good, remain faithful, and find our ultimate pleasure in the Lord Himself. In other words, trust should replace fear, goodness should replace envy, faithfulness should replace anger. Our desires should be driven by our total surrender to the Lord.

We must find pleasure in the Lord. Our thoughts need to be shaped by the Word of God. Our values, our goals, our drives, our passions must find their source in what has eternal value.

How often we allow the world or our carnal desires to drive our thoughts, actions and reactions. Do we really believe that God is sovereign over all? Do we really believe that all He does is good? Do we truly believe that what He gives us is really what is best for us?

Every day exposes where we are. If we envy the ungodly, we are certainly being ungrateful and unsubmissive, but if we have peace and rest in our hearts, we are finding our refuge in the Lord.

Do we lose sight of these truths at times? Certainly yes, and that is why God has given us this psalm to steer us in the right direction. Are you struggling today? Delight yourself in the Lord and trust in Him – do what is good.

VISIBLY BLESSED!

THE UNSURPASSABLE PRIVILEGE OF KNOWING GOD’S EVERLASTING LOVE

Read the psalm

Psalm 36:7-12

7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8 They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

9 For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light do we see light.

10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,

and your righteousness to the upright of heart!

11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,

nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

12 There the evildoers lie fallen;

they are thrust down, unable to rise. 

After having seen the difference between the believer and the unbeliever, and having been reminded of how God takes care of His own, the children of God are now invited by David to find refuge in their Savior.

God is loving, God is faithful, God is righteous, God is wise and God saves!

As we look at the response of the Psalmist to these, we should ask ourselves if we are reflecting on and rejoicing in these same truths.

We have the unsurpassable privilege of knowing the reality of God’s everlasting love.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Romans 5:8

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Ephesians 2:4-5

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 

We can take refuge in His love! As we live in the shadow of our omnipotent God, we find care, delight, direction, hope, and life.

Peter had made his choice.

John 6:67-69

So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 

Are we equally resolved and convinced that there are no alternatives? Does our life show it, in our decisions and reactions?

Despite these blessings of the Lord, David knew that there was always a danger from the arrogant and the wicked to rob him of his joy.  He knew that he needed God’s protection.

The writer’s dependence and love for God is very clear. He desires to continue to enjoy the love of God and live in complete submission and dependence upon Him.

Let’s resolve to not allow the cares of this world, the behavior of men, or even our inner passions to drive us away from God. May our lives be visible hymns to the grace of God and to His care for us!

Take time to reread the psalm and to pray through it!