LIVING FOR GOD IN THE MIDST OF THE EVIL DOERS : MEDITATIONS ON PSALM 37
**********************************************************************************
OUTLINE
1. DONT FRET ABOUT THE WICKED
2. TRUST IN THE LORD AND DO GOOD
3. DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD
4. COMMIT YOUR WAY TO THE LORD
5. REST IN THE LORD AND WAIT FOR HIM
6. SURELY THERE IS A REWARD FOR THE RIGHTEOUS
7. THE SAD END OF THE WICKED
THE MESSAGE
LIVING FOR GOD IN THE MIDST OF THE EVIL DOERS : MEDITATIONS ON PSALM 37
**********************************************************************************
1. DONT FRET ABOUT THE WICKED
While living in the midst of the evil doers and the wicked , we must not allow ourselves to fret and fume over their evil doings. We should not allow our hearts to be corrupted by anger and jealousy and hatred as it would lead us in the path of evil and destruction . We must keep our hearts pure and tender before the Lord . The Lord will deal with the wicked and cause them to wither away.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
PSALM 37: 1-2, 8
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret�it leads only to evil.
2. TRUST IN THE LORD AND DO GOOD
While living in the midst of the evil doers and the wicked , we must continue to trust in the Lord and keep on doing good. We must not allow the wickedness of the evil doers to make us lose our faith in God. We must not lose faith in doing good to others because of the actions of the ungrateful and selfish people. The Lord would surely reward us for our faith and faithfulness. We must fix our eyes on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
PSALM 37: 3, 19, 21,
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
GALATIANS 6:7-10
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
HEBREWS 12:2-3
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
3. DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD
While living in the midst of the evil doers and the wicked , we must delight ourselves in the Lord and be filled with the joy of the Lord. We should not allow the wickedness that we experience to make us lose our joy and happiness. We should not allow our hearts to filled with anger and bitterness against the Lord and the evil doers. We must continue to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth and delight ourselves in His presence. Our hearts must meditate on the greatness and awesome nature of our God and be filled with worship and adoration towards Him. We must remember with a grateful heart all the blessings we have received from the Lord and praise Him with our inmost being. Then we have the glorious experience of the Lord granting the desires of our heart. When we are full of the joy of the Lord , we will be filled with divine strength and then the burdens of life will be light and easy for us to handle.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
PSALM 37: 4
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
PSALM 103:1-2
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
JOHN 4:23-24
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
NEHEMIAH 8:10
Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
PHILIPPIANS 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
4. COMMIT YOUR WAY TO THE LORD
While living in the midst of the evil doers and the wicked , we must commit our way to the Lord. When we follow the Lord He will lead us in the right path and protect us from hidden traps and snares. We must not allow the wickedness of the evil doers to fill us with rage and lead us in the path of vengeance and evil and destruction. We must allow the Lord to vindicate us and bring forth our righteousness and grant justice to us. When our hearts are committed to follow the Lord , He will order our steps and make it firm . Even when we stumble , the Lord will uphold us and not allow us to be destroyed.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
PSALM 37: 5-6, 16, 23-24,
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
If the LORD delights in a man�s way, he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
PSALM 27:11
Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
PSALM 23:3
he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name�s sake.
PROVERBS 3:26
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
5. REST IN THE LORD AND WAIT FOR HIM
While living in the midst of the evil doers and the wicked , we must rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. We must not become restless and disturbed . We must continue to live in the peace of the Lord and trust in Him . The Lord will exalt us to enter into His blessings . Those who wait for the Lord will not be ashamed.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
PSALM 37: 7, 11 ,34
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.
Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
PSALM 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
ISAIAH 30:15
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.
ISAIAH 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
ISAIAH 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed."
6. SURELY THERE IS A REWARD FOR THE RIGHTEOUS
While living in the midst of the evil doers and the wicked , we must have the assurance that there is a surely a reward for the righteous. The Lord will not forsake the righteous nor allow the wicked to triumph over the righteous. The Lord will deliver the righteous and be their stronghold and refuge in their time of trouble.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
PSALM 37: 18, 25-27, 29-33, 37 , 39-40
The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever.
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.
Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.
The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;
but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
MALACHI 3:14-18
"You have said, ’It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?
But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’ "
Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.
"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him.
And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
7. THE SAD END OF THE WICKED
While living in the midst of the evil doers and the wicked , we must understand that they would not flourish for ever. The Lord would execute His judgement on them. The evil doers and the wicked would be destroyed . The Lord laughs at the evil plans of the wicked because He knows that their days are coming to an end. The Lord may be patient with the objects of His wrath who are prepared for destruction , but surely they would not escape destruction at their appointed time.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
PSALM 37: 9-10, 12-15, 17, 20, 22, 28, 35-36, 38
For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
But the wicked will perish: The LORD�s enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish�vanish like smoke.
those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.
For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;
I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
ROMANS 9:22
What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath�prepared for destruction?
PSALM 73:1-28
Surely God is good to Israel,to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity ; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,and their tongues take possession of the earth.
Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?"
This is what the wicked are like— always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.
If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me
till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
***************************************************************************
