Below is the whole of Psalm 37. And I'm going to share my own experience with Psalm 37. Many years ago, my parents, as well as the rehab hospital I was admitted to, arrived at a general consensus that I needed to live in a setting that had 24 hour supervision. I had been a person with a disability living completely independently, and it was clear after a few years that people felt they could treat me "any ole kind of way" (as they say around my parts), and no one noticed. So, we all unanimously agreed that I needed to be in a place that could be held accountable for me.
However, my social worker had a very hard time finding a group home that was wheelchair accessible (this was all the way back in the early 1990s). So, we had one last place that we were trying. And the lady said they did have a ramp, but that I would have to prove that I could be completely and totally responsible for my own physical care.
And so, the rehab hospital did quite an excellent job of preparing me, and I moved into that group home. Problem was that they picked on me terrible because of my disability. One counselor in particular just couldn't seem to leave me alone. And I began to feel so bitter that every word of Psalm 37 became vitally important to me. Well do you know that one day this individual, who felt so free to do and say whatever popped into his head, was found dead in his home? Because wickedness seems like it will fly at the time, but they say that God keeps all our tears in a bottle. God is well familiar with our pain, and He will not allow us to be abused indefinitely. Take heart.
...my conscience has been bothering me about this story I shared earlier in the week, because I clearly made it appear as though it's OK to celebrate someone's death. Uh-uh. Whether I rejoiced over it at the time, or however long I've been gloating about it, I was wrong. And maybe if I hadn't assumed that all my problems would be solved if he was not working there anymore, and I began to really aggressively pray for him, the story might have had a much sweeter ending.
Psalm 37 is an excellent Psalm and has a lot of reassuring and comforting promises. But we need to keep in mind when reading the David's writings that David's life was very very unique. As punishment for his adultery with Bathsheba and consequent premeditated murder of her husband Uriah, God told him that he would be surrounded by enemies all his life.
Not quite the same for New Covenant Christians. Indeed, we are told that we'll be persecuted. But our goal should never be the destruction of those who persecute us! Our goal should always be to live humbly before them. We should live with an eye toward letting people experience the love of Jesus through us.
Psalm 37
Psalms 37:1 FRET not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.
18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passd away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
No comments:
Post a Comment