FROM FRETTING TO TRUST.
Psalm 37:1-11; Psalm 37:39-40.
PSALM 37:1. Somebody is in trouble, fretting because of the unfairness of life: but the pastor’s responsibility is not to burden the poor soul with a ‘snap out of it’ sort of approach, which often only leads to further despair; but rather to present positive encouragements to counter the negative mindset. Despite David’s use of imperatives, this passage is not so much crisp commands (‘Do this, that and the other’) as a gentle pastoral exhortation; not so much a thrice repeated ‘law’ against fretting (Psalm 37:1; Psalm 37:7; Psalm 37:8) as a call to “rest in the LORD,” patiently waiting for Him (Psalm 37:7).
PSALM 37:2. Why trouble ourselves about people who are described in the Bible as ‘like the chaff, which the wind drives away’ (Psalm 1:4), whose ‘way shall perish’ (Psalm 1:6); who shall be “cut off,” here today, and tomorrow gone (Psalm 37:9-10); whose supposed good fortunes are but ‘slippery places’ which end in ‘destruction’ and ‘desolation,’ and the ultimate ‘terror’ of being ‘despised’ by God (Psalm 73:17-20)? The positive counterpunch to such desperate despair is: ‘Let not your heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the LORD all day long’ (Proverbs 23:17).
PSALM 37:3. “Trust in the LORD.” Why? Because faith cures fretting. Worried thoughts in the night are soon dispelled if we turn to unselfish prayer. “Do good,” because ‘faith without works is dead’ (James 2:26). In the Lord, our labour shall not be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). “So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” We who have believed have entered into the land of rest (Hebrews 4:3), and are shepherded by the Good Shepherd. Our temporal needs are met (Matthew 6:31-33), but also, we are fed on the Word of God.
PSALM 37:4. Fretting fades into oblivion when we delight ourselves in the LORD. An example of delighting in the LORD is illustrated in Song of Solomon 2:3 - ‘I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.’ When our wills are submitted to His will, we can ask what we will, and we will receive it (John 15:7; John 15:16; 1 John 5:14-15).
PSALM 37:5. This is what it means to be ‘casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7). Commitment casts away fretting, submits our wills to His will, and trusts His judgment. There is a gentle serenity in trusting Him, waiting patiently for the outcome.
PSALM 37:6. ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’ (Romans 4:3). ‘Our’ “righteousness” is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us (Romans 4:23-24). There is an eschatological hope here, expressed by Jesus: ‘Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father’ (Matthew 13:43). And then shall every man have his commendation from God (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5).
PSALM 37:7. We are encouraged to “Rest in the LORD,” rather than “fretting” about those who seem to prosper by “wicked devices.” Asaph momentarily found himself fretting when he ‘saw the prosperity of the wicked’ (Psalm 73:2-3). “Rest” is the posture of the Christian. This calls for patience: “wait patiently for Him.” James points us to ‘the patience of Job’ (James 5:11).
PSALM 37:8. “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath.” Whoever is slow to anger is of great understanding (cf. Proverbs 14:29). For the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God (James 1:20). “Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.” Inward bitterness can be just as evil as outward sin.
PSALM 37:9. The dichotomy between the ‘ungodly’ and the ‘righteous’ is a theme in the book of Psalms. ‘The ungodly shall not stand’ (Psalm 1:5) and ‘the way of the ungodly shall perish’ (Psalm 1:6) appears here as “evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.” Patient faith reaps an eternal reward.
PSALM 37:10. The wicked are here today, but tomorrow gone (cf. Psalm 37:35-36; Psalm 73:18-20).
PSALM 37:11. “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Jesus reiterates: ‘Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth’ (Matthew 5:5). A present enjoyment of covenant blessings anticipates the inheritance which lies ahead for the people of God. The lovers of peace “shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” which is to come (cf. Psalm 72:7). Those whose mind is ‘stayed on Jesus,’ who trust in God, shall be ‘kept in perfect peace’ by God (Isaiah 26:3). This is the ‘peace of God which passes understanding’ (Philippians 4:7; cf. John 14:27).
PSALM 37:39-40. “The salvation of the righteous is of the LORD.” It is He who has washed us of our sins, and made us ‘righteous’ in Christ Jesus. He who has begun a good work in us will complete it (Philippians 1:6). He will finally ‘deliver us from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God’ (Romans 8:21). He helps us, and delivers us; and saves us, “because we trust in Him.” ‘Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him’ (Psalm 2:12).
