The Righteous One quieting our heart by teaching us to discern between the godly and the wicked

This psalm is all about “A good man, one who has the law of God in his heart.” He has been born again by the incorruptible seed. But the contrast is also made with the wicked, who seek occasion to hurt or even slay the righteous man.

So how should the upright, the meek, the saints, behave themselves under the enmity of the workers of iniquity. Well, there are pointers and guidelines given by David as to the Christian’s reaction. He is to trust in the Lord; delight in the Lord; commit unto the Lord; rest in the Lord and wait on the Lord. The Christian is not to fret in such circumstances, that is, not to be agitated or disturbed by the attitude of unbelievers. The New Testament equivalent would be, “be anxious for nothing, but make your requests known before God,” which means, do not be stressed with anxiety or be over-anxious.
 
As well as trusting in the Lord, we are to delight also in Him. Without delighting, then religion becomes a burden, the law of God becomes a ball and chain, and all opposition a source of fear and fretting. To delight is to seek all our happiness and stability in Christ.


Psalm 37

 1  For evil-doers fret thou not
       thyself unquietly;
    Nor do thou envy bear to those
       that work iniquity.

 2  For, even like unto the grass,
       soon be cut down shall they;
    And, like the green and tender herb,
       they wither shall away.

 3  Set thou thy trust upon the Lord,
       and be thou doing good;
    And so thou in the land shalt dwell,
       and verily have food.

 4  Delight thyself in God; he'll give
       thine heart's desire to thee.
 5  Thy way to God commit, him trust,
       it bring to pass shall he.

 6  And, like unto the light, he shall
       thy righteousness display;
    And he thy judgment shall bring forth
       like noon-tide of the day.

 7  Rest in the Lord, and patiently
       wait for him: do not fret
    For him who, prosp'ring in his way,
       success in sin doth get.

 8  Do thou from anger cease, and wrath
       see thou forsake also:
    Fret not thyself in any wise,
       that evil thou should'st do.

 9  For those that evil doers are
       shall be cut off and fall:
    But those that wait upon the Lord
       the earth inherit shall.

10  For yet a little while, and then
       the wicked shall not be;
    His place thou shalt consider well,
       but it thou shalt not see.

11  But by inheritance the earth
       the meek ones shall possess:
    They also shall delight themselves
       in an abundant peace.

12  The wicked plots against the just,
       and at him whets his teeth:
13  The Lord shall laugh at him, because
       his day he coming seeth.

14  The wicked have drawn out the sword,
       and bent their bow, to slay
    The poor and needy, and to kill
       men of an upright way.

15  But their own sword, which they have drawn,
       shall enter their own heart:
    Their bows which they have bent shall break,
       and into pieces part.

16  A little that a just man hath
       is more and better far
    Than is the wealth of many such
       as lewd and wicked are.

17  For sinners' arms shall broken be;
       but God the just sustains.
18  God knows the just man's days, and still
       their heritage remains.

19  They shall not be ashamed when they
       the evil time do see;
    And when the days of famine are,
       they satisfied shall be.

20  But wicked men, and foes of God,
       as fat of lambs, decay;
    They shall consume, yea, into smoke
       they shall consume away.

21  The wicked borrows, but the same
       again he doth not pay;
    Whereas the righteous mercy shows,
       and gives his own away.

22  For such as blessed be of him
       the earth inherit shall;
    And they that cursed are of him
       shall be destroyed all.

23  A good man's footsteps by the Lord
       are ordered aright;
    And in the way wherein he walks
       he greatly doth delight.

24  Although he fall, yet shall he not
       be cast down utterly;
    Because the Lord with his own hand
       upholds him mightily.

25  I have been young, and now am old,
       yet have I never seen
    The just man left, nor that his seed
       for bread have beggars been.

26  He's ever merciful, and lends:
       his seed is blessed therefore.
27  Depart from evil, and do good,
       and dwell for evermore.

28  For God loves judgment, and his saints
       leaves not in any case;
    They are kept ever: but cut off
       shall be the sinner's race.

29  The just inherit shall the land,
       and ever in it dwell:
30  The just man's mouth doth wisdom speak;
       his tongue doth judgment tell.

31  In's heart the law is of his God,
       his steps slide not away.
32  The wicked man doth watch the just,
       and seeketh him to slay.

33  Yet him the Lord will not forsake,
       nor leave him in his hands:
    The righteous will he not condemn,
       when he in judgment stands.

34  Wait on the Lord, and keep his way,
       and thee exalt shall he
    Th' earth to inherit; when cut off
       the wicked thou shalt see.

35  I saw the wicked great in pow'r,
       spread like a green bay-tree:
36  He passed, yea, was not; him I sought,
       but found he could not be.

37  Mark thou the perfect, and behold
       the man of uprightness;
    Because that surely of this man
       the latter end is peace.

38  But those men that transgressors are
       shall be destroyed together;
    The latter end of wicked men
       shall be cut off for ever.

39  But the salvation of the just
       is from the Lord above;
    He in the time of their distress
       their stay and strength doth prove.

40  The Lord shall help, and them deliver:
       he shall them free and save
    From wicked men; because in him
       their confidence they have.


Recommended Tunes

Consolation

Google Gadget - "Embed gadget"

Naomi

Google Gadget - "Embed gadget"

Jackson

Google Gadget - "Embed gadget"

St Agnes

Google Gadget - "Embed gadget"

St Anne

Google Gadget - "Embed gadget"