SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). The Lord Can Be Trusted (vs 1-11).
(2). The Lord Understands Your Situation (vs 12-20).
(3). The Lord Blesses His People (vs 21-31).
(4). The Lord Judges The Wicked (vs 32-40)
SERMON BODY:
ill
• I would guess that we are all familiar with the Dutch Christian Corrie ten Boom;
• Who, along with her father and other family members,
• Helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II;
• As a result she was imprisoned for it.
• Her most famous book, The Hiding Place, describes the ordeal.
• Corrie ten Boom had a number of well-known sayings;
• “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
• “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
• “If you look at the world, you'll be distressed.
• If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.”
• One of my favourites is: “Don't bother to give God instructions; just report for duty.”
• Corrie own favourite saying was; ‘Don’t wrestle just nestle!’
• When we are close to God, nestling in his love,
• We don’t have to wrestle with unresolvable issues.
• We can simply trust a loving God to do the right thing
• The theme of this psalm is ‘Don’t wrestle just nestle!’
• David the psalmist tells his readers again and again;
• Not to ‘fret’ or be ‘envious’ of those who choose to do wrong.
Note: Two things by way of introduction:
FIRST:
• Psalm 37 is a wisdom Psalm, a teaching Psalm.
• It is hard to outline because it appears to be a string of short, unconnected sentences,
• It reads a bit like sections of the book of Proverbs.
• That may be because in the Hebrew language this psalm is an acrostic,
• That means it follows the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Ill:
• If it were written in English each section;
• (Roughly every two verses in the English translation).
• Wold start with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
• In English it would start ‘A, B, C, D…..etc. until Z.’
• Because it is Hebrew it reads ‘Aleph, Beth, Gimel…..until Taw’.
• This was probably done to help the readers memorize and meditate on God's Word.
• e.g. Preachers today often use alliteration for the same reason;
• (i.e. person, place & problem).
SECOND:
• If your Bible has titles above some of the psalms;
• You will note that David is identified as the author but we are not told anything else.
• Although if you scan down to verse 25;
• We are told that he wrote this psalm late in life, note the words: “Now I am old”.
• So the psalm is written in his old age after a lifetime of experience.
• And as David ponders and deliberates he writes down for us how God;
• Deals with both the righteous and the wicked.
(1). The Lord Can Be Trusted (vs 1-11).
“Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 he will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret – it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity”.
Notice:
1. In this section David will give one negative instruction;
2. And four positive instructions.
• The one negative instruction; “Don’t fret”.
• Is repeated three times in verse 1, verse 7 & verse 8.
• The word ‘fret’ means to ‘burn up, to get heated up’;
• David’s message was, ‘Be cool and stay cool’ – don’t become anxious!
• So David gave one negative instruction; “Don’t fret”.
• But notice he gives four positive instructions:
• Verse 3: “Trust in the Lord”
• Verse 4: “Delight in the Lord”
• Verse 5-6: “Commit yourself to the Lord”
• Verse 7: “Rest in the Lord”.
Ill:
• Psalm 37, which was David Livingstone’s his favourite Psalm.
• On one occasion early in his missionary explorations,
• David Livingstone was prevented by a local chieftain from crossing through his territory.
• After several days of futile bantering back and forth.
• Livingstone whipped out his revolver and demanded to go through.
• The chief fearful, then relented and allowed him to pass.
• But it was a move that David Livingstone always regretted,
• For it was not in keeping with this, his favourite Psalm.
David Livingstone often quoted Psalm 37 verse 5;
• Psalm 37 verse 5 (N.I.V.):
• “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this”
• Psalm 37 verse 5 (Livingstone’s K.J.B.):
• “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
• e.g. When he gave a friend a Bible, he inscribed it with Psalm 37 verse 5;
• First in the Sechuana language, and then translated it into English.
• He thought this was good advice for a new Christian.
• e.g. David Livingstone regretted that he had not spent time with his children;
• When they were growing up,
• But he tried to counsel them in their teenage years after their mother had died.
• To his son Thomas he wrote: “Whatever you feel yourself best fitted for, one ought to endeavour to devote the peculiarities of his nature to his Redeemers service”
• And then he quoted Psalm 37 verse 5.
• e.g. During Livingstone ‘s final days in Africa, as he was menaced by savage tribesmen,
• Prostrated by fear, gnawed by hunger, and near death,
• Yet he kept quoting Psalm 37 verse 5.
• “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
• This was the verse that sustained him throughout his explorations in Africa.
• And it is good advice for anyone!
• In any circumstance! And in any location!
So remember that in this first section (verses 1-11):
• David gives to us one negative instruction; “Don’t fret”.
• And four positive instructions:
• Verse 3: “Trust in the Lord”
• Verse 4: “Delight in the Lord”
• Verse 5-6: “Commit yourself to the Lord”
• Verse 7: “Rest in the Lord”.
Ill:
• Lord 'J. Arthur Rank'
• He established the Odeon chain of cinemas and created Pinewood Studios.
• He was a devout Methodist.
• And his beliefs greatly influenced all aspects of his life.
• I think he would have got on well with David the psalmist;
• Because he too did not believe in fretting!
• In fact he decided to do all his worrying on just one day each week.
• He chose Wednesdays.
• When anything happened that gave him anxiety and annoyed his ulcer,
• He would write it down and put it in his worry box;
• And then forget about it until next Wednesday.
• The interesting thing was that on the following Wednesday;
• When he opened his worry box,
• He found that most of the things that had disturbed him;
• The past six days were already settled.
• It would have been useless foe him to have worried about them.
Note: The word ‘Commit’ in verse 5:
• The word, ‘commit’ is the Hebrew word, ‘galal’,
• Which means “to roll, roll down, roll away, or remove”.
• So we are told in this verse to ‘roll our way onto the Lord’.
• ill: The picture behind this idea is that of a camel, burdened with a heavy load;
• When the load is to be removed,
• The camel kneels down, tilts to one side, and the load rolls off.
• So the application is obvious:
• Whatever is weighing you down today,
• The Lord invites you to ‘roll it on HIM’, and HE promises to bring it to pass!
(2). The Lord Understands Your Situation (vs 12-20).
• Now since God can be trusted, we should not fret;
• And since God understands our situation, we should not fear.
“The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
and their inheritance will endure for ever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish:
though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke”
• Now since God can be trusted, we should not fret;
• And since God understands our situation, we should not fear.
Ill:
• In the seventeenth century Paul Gerhardt and his family;
• Were forced to flee from their home in Berlin.
• Their crime was their Christian faith, their religious convictions!
• As they fled, they stopped at an inn,
• And tried to understand why God was allowing this to happen to them.
• Gerhardt’s wife was especially concerned about what might lie ahead for the children.
• That night Gerhardt read Psalm 37 to them.
• We don’t know, but you can imagine him slowing down as he read verse 16:
• “Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;”
• Also verse 17 being an encouragement to them:
• One translation interprets verse 17 this way:
• “The Lord takes care of the godly…they will survive through hard times.”
The next day while sitting under an apple tree Gerhardt wrote a hymn:
• The theme of that hymn is trusting God in hard times.
• Later that evening two messengers came to Gerhardt and offered him refuge;
• They also offered him a Church position in Meresberg (East Germany),
• The hymn Gerhardt wrote was ‘Give to the winds your fears’.
• Thanks to John Wesley and others we have it translated into English;
• It is No 561 in the old Sankey’s hymn book.
• The hymn would became very popular in Germany,
• Second only in fame to Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”.
• It remains a solid testimony to God’s gracious provision in tough times.
• Quote:
“Through waves and clouds and storms
His power will clear your way:
Wait for His time: the darkest night
Shall end in brightest day.”
• Now since God can be trusted, we should not fret;
• And since God understands our situation, we should not fear.
• Verse 12 tells us that:
• The wicked might be busy plotting against the poor and needy.
• But note God’s reaction in verse 13: He is not worried;
• In fact he laughs at them because he knows judgement is coming!
• With God there is no panic in Heaven!
• God has no problems, only plans!
Notice: We have a contrast in these verses between the wicked and the righteous:
• The wicked:
• Verse 20: “But the wicked will perish” like smoke at the altar.
• In other words their future is short, miserable and frightening;
• We have already noted that judgement awaits them (vs 13).
• The righteous:
• Verse 18: “The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,”
• God watches and cares for his people in this life.
• While verse 18 reminds us that this life is short and temporary:
• But for the believer we can have confidence that their future is long and rewarding.
• Verse 18: “their inheritance will endure for ever.”
• The believer looks forward to something that is everlasting and glorious!
Quote: Remember those words of Corrie ten Boom:
“If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.”
(3). The Lord Blesses His People (vs 21-31).
Ill:
• A lady in an airport shop bought herself a little bag of biscuits;
• Popped them into her hand luggage.
• And with a takeaway coffee in hand;
• Looked to find an empty seat in an over-crowded departure lounge.
• She found a seat so she sat down sipped her coffee and started reading her magazine.
• Across the table from her a man sat reading a newspaper.
• After a minute or two she reached out and took a biscuit.
• As she did, she was amazed that the man seated across the table;
• Also reached out and took one of the biscuits too.
• Not wanting to create a confrontation she ignored his rude actions.
• A few moments later she took another biscuit.
• Once again the man did so too.
• Now she was getting a bit angry and the man’s cheek and nerve,
• But still she did not say anything.
• After having a couple of sips of coffee she once again took another biscuit.
• So did the man. She was really upset by this;
• Especially since now only one biscuit was left.
• Apparently the man also realized that only one biscuit was left.
• Before she could say anything he took it, broke it in half,
• Offered half to her, and proceeded to eat the other half himself.
• Then he smiled at her and, putting his paper under his arm, stood up and walked off!
• Now she was ‘steamed up’, angry at his offensive behaviour;
• When her flight number was called she folded her magazine,
• Opened her hand luggage and there discovered her own unopened bag of biscuits!
• TRANSITION: I like that story!
• It makes me think about how well God treats me;
• Even when I am not treating him well or thinking all that kindly about him.
• Now in this section (verses 21 to 31):
• David reminds us of how God blesses his people.
“The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.
23 The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.[b]
27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed[c];
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
29 The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.
30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip”
• Now in this section (verses 21 to 31) David reminds us of how God blesses his people.
• But his blessing may come to us in various guises and ways.
Ill:
• George Müller was the eighteenth century Christian evangelist;
• And Director of the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England,
• He cared for 10,024 orphans in his life.
• He was well known for providing an education to the children under his care,
• To the point where he was accused of raising the poor above their natural station in life.
• He also established 117 schools;
• Which offered Christian education to over 120,000 children,
• Many of them being orphans.
• George Müller never asked for money.
• He simply fell on his knees and prayed and miraculously the provision arrived,
• Sometimes in the nick of time!
• George Müller valued Psalm 37 especially verse 23:
• He took delight in the fact God took delight in all the details of his life.
• And he had no doubt that the steps of the godly were ordered by the Lord.
• In George Müller’s Bible he added two words to verse 23:
• David wrote: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:”
• But in Müller’s rendition of that verse it reads:
• “The steps AND STOPS of a good man are ordered by the Lord:”
• TRANSITION:
• When we read about this great man of God;
• It may seem that there were no ‘stops’ or closed doors in George Müller’s life.
• But he knew better.
• And he also knew he could trust the one who ordered ‘the stops’ as well as ‘the steps’!
Note:
• The word translated ‘ordered’ in the K.J.B. and ‘made firm’ in the N.I.V.;
• Means ‘secured, established’.
• It carries the idea that God can keep us from falling;
• And if as believers we do stumble and fall,
• Then God will pick us up and get us going again.
Three things are worth noting in this section:
• Verses 21-22: refer to God’s provision.
• “..those the Lord blesses will inherit the land”
• Verses 23-24: refer to God’s protection.
• “The Lord makes firm the step...for the Lord upholds him with his hand”
• Verses 25-26: refer to God’s presence.
• “..I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread”
As an older man David the psalmist can look back and testify that:
• God provided – he is faithful.
• God protected – he is forgiving & forgetful.
• God is ever present – He was with David in tough times.
Ill:
• Peter Cotterell was a preacher and author;
• And formerly head of the London Bible College.
• He spent a number of years as a missionary in Ethiopia;
• He was there during the time of one devastating famine that destroyed that land.
• I enjoyed hearing him speak on a number of occasions;
• And one time he read verse 25 of this psalm:
• Quote (New Living Translation):
• “And in all my years I have never seen the Lord forsake a man who loves him;
• Nor have I seen the children of the godly go hungry”
• With a tear in his eye and a croak in his voice he simply said:
• “I have! I have ‘seen the children of the godly go hungry’,
• I have seen them die for the want of a bit of food.”
He went on to explain concerning this verse:
• This verse is not a promise for every believer at all times and in all places;
• Because even today around the world in certain places Christians will die of hunger.
• This verse is the testimony of one man – David the psalmist;
• And for him these words are 100% true!
• His personal experience was just that! ‘HIS’ experience, HIS testimony;
• We might at times have similar experience, or we may not.
Cast your mind back to my introductory comments to this sermon;
• I said by way of a starter;
• That this Psalm is a wisdom Psalm, it is a teaching Psalm.
• It is hard to outline because it appears to be a string of short, unconnected sentences,
• In fact it reads a bit like sections of the book of Proverbs.
• Like the statements in the book of Proverbs,
• It is a generalisation that proves true most of the time;
e.g.
• Proverbs chapter 22 verse 6:
• "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
• This is a generalisation that will prove true most of the time;
• But it is not a guarantee that every child will return.
• It will not be true for everyone, but usually it will prove true most of the time;
• Therefore we can safely apply these principles to life
(4). The Lord Judges The Wicked (vs 32-40)
“The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
33 but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
34 Hope in the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.
38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future for the wicked.
39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him”.
Ill:
• Knowing he was a Christian.
• An atheist farmer wrote to the editor of his local newspaper, He said;
• “In defiance of your God I ploughed my fields this year on Sunday,
• I disked and fertilized them on Sunday, I planted them on a Sunday,
• I cultivated them on Sunday, and I reaped them on Sunday.
• This October I had the biggest crop I have ever had. How do you explain that?"
• The Christian editor replied:
• “God does not always settle his accounts in October.”
• That is one of the themes of this psalm;
• God will judge those who reject him and are rebellious towards him.
Note:
• There are three metaphors, three images used in this final section;
• Two are negative and one is positive.
• The two negative have to do with the unbeliever;
• That is those who reject him and rebel against him.
• The positive image has to do with the believer, the one who trusts in the Lord.
• The first negative image is in verse 32-34 - A Court of Law.
• Note the words: “They will be brought to trial” (vs 33b).
• Where you have pictured a court of law.
• Evil men might seem to win the battle but God will always win the war!
• The second negative image is in Verse 35-36 – A Flourishing Tree.
• Note the words: A “luxuriant native tree”
• But sadly this trees glory has long faded and it has withered and died,
• And even worse, it has left no trace that it was ever there at all!
• The psalm concludes in verse 37-40 with a positive picture;
• That of a rescue taking place.
• Note the descriptive words used:
“The SALVATION of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold IN TIME OF TROUBLE.
40 The LORD HELPS them and DELIVERS them;
he DELIVERS them from the wicked and SAVES them,
because they take refuge in him.”
Conclusion:
• In this topsy-turvy world everything can seem upside down.
• We are not to get over worried.
• Leave the worrying to God. Commit your way to God.
• Roll everything onto Him. Do your duties and enjoy His blessings!
• Remember the five key words from this Psalm which teach us how we should live:
• ‘Trust, Delight, Commit, Rest and Wait’.
Quote: Martin Luther’s summary of this Psalm:
“Learn patience. Cast your cares on the Lord. Do not be angry. Wish no ill to the wicked. Leave management and government of all to God.”
