August 29

Photo by Europeana on Unsplash

Psalm 37

Psalm 37 has been called the “Sermon on the Mount” of the Old Testament. That’s because both focus on what we must do under the griefs, fears and pressures of life, especially when those griefs are caused by others.

Three times the Psalmist commands us “Fret not yourself.” This is because when others cause us pain and grief, we have can layer our own burdens on top of what they caused. To “fret yourself” is that tormented, mixed swill of worry, resentment, rage, jealousy and self-condemnation. We pain ourselves on top of the pain caused by another. It’s insane, but it’s what we fallen humans do.

To this the Psalmist commands us to look up to God, and then look forward, to His future grace. But note: this is not the sweet and saccharine suggestion of a gentle Sunday School teacher. This is the tough grace of a general, who knows just what you need in the heat of battle. Many of God’s soldiers have died on this battlefield, and the Psalmist will not have that.

For our own lives, we must heed the commands here. Look up: look to the LORD (3), trusting Him to give you the delights that you desire but sorely miss (4). Give your way entirely to him (5).

And then look forward. Because those who commit their way to Him, he vindicates (6). So you can wait for him (7). One day, the evil will be outed, demolished and disappeared (9-10). But he who trust in God will inherit the land (11). The meek shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5).

Look up at your Redeemer, O child of God. Look up, and look forward. Let your actions in these days be driven by faith in the grace of God, not by the actions of the wicked. Don’t let their sin still have control over you, because then you’ll add suffering to suffering. Let God be in control, for He will richly reward your faith.

God’s grace will determine your future, not their sin. What they did to you will not have the final word - God will (37). Mark the righteous man, and so mark yourself. The wicked smile now, but they live on borrowed time. There is no neutral ground here. You must persevere, by grace, through faith.