Rush To The Lord For Refuge.

RUSH TO THE LORD FOR REFUGE.

This is David's message to us in Psalm 37:1-3, where the KJV says:

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.

*The NKJV says:

1. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of 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; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

*David also tells us to trust the Lord in vs. 5, and in both cases the idea behind the original word for "trust" is rushing to someone for refuge and safety. (1)

*Mary and I are pretty big dog lovers. And in all my years, I've only had a couple of bad experiences with a dog.

*One was in the first grade. It was summertime, and our next-door neighbors had gone on vacation, so, they asked me to feed their great big, mean-looking boxer. No problem, -- at least for the first two days. But on that third day for some reason, as soon as that dog saw me, he started growling. And I started backing up. When I got to the front yard, I started running as fast as my skinny legs could run. Half-way across, I glanced back and saw him coming. He was gaining every second! -- Yaaaah!

*I got to the screen door just in time. And as it slammed shut, I could feel his hot breath on my bare foot. I sure am glad that door was unlocked. Running for safety, running for your life: You will never find a safer place to run than to the Lord Jesus Christ. So we should trust in the Lord.

*And in the middle of Psalm 37:3 David reminds us that we should trust God enough to follow Him and walk in His ways. Or as David simply said: "Do good."

*"Do good." This is God's simple and sure command for us. Church, remember what Paul said about good works in Ephesians 2:8-10:

8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

9. not of works, lest anyone should boast.

10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

*"Do good." This is God's simple and sure command for us, with the wonderful result that our doing good can lift our spirits when we are down. So Charles Spurgeon said, "True faith is actively obedient. Doing good is a fine remedy for fretting. There is a joy in holy activity which drives away the rust of discontent." (2)

*So we rush to the Lord for refuge, trusting Him enough to do good. And when we trust in the Lord, He will surely provide for us. Again, as David said in vs. 3 from the KJV, "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily (or faithfully) thou shalt be fed.

*That word "fed" is the word picture of a shepherd faithfully feeding his flock. And that takes us back to David's 23rd Psalm, where he opened in vs. 1-2 by saying, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters." Then in Psalm 23:5 David said this to the LORD, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." (1)

(1) Sources:

-BROWN-DRIVER-BRIGGS' HEBREW DEFINITIONS - Published in 1906; public domain- Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2021

-STRONG'S HEBREW AND GREEK DICTIONARIES - from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D. - Published in 1890; public domain. - Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2021

(2) Charles H. Spurgeon, THE TREASURY OF DAVID, Psalm 37:3, Published in 1869-1885; public domain - Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2021