Introduction
I want to tell you two stories.
The first story is about a young girl named Leah Sharibu.
In 2018, Leah was fourteen years old and living in a town called Dapchi in northern Nigeria.
One day, Leah was kidnapped with more than 100 other girls by the terrorist group called Boko Haram.
After one month, all of the girls were released from captivity—except Leah.
Leah was not released because she refused to renounce her faith in Jesus.
Leah is still in captivity.
She may have been forced into marriage, and is almost certainly experiencing horrendous abuse.
Leah’s courage is stunning, especially given her youth and isolation.
Leah’s mother, Rebecca, said, “I want her to live. I want her to come back. But, more than anything, I’m proud that she didn’t deny Jesus” (see https://lausanne.org/about/blog/pray-with-us-nigerias-captive-girls).
The second story is about an older man named David.
When David was a teenager, he was invited to serve as a personal assistant and musician to the country’s leader.
However, the country’s leader was jealous of David’s gifts, skills, and abilities.
Over many years, on at least eleven distinct occasions, the leader tried to kill David.
Each time, however, David escaped unharmed.
Eventually, the country’s leader died, and David became the leader of the country.
I am, of course, referring to King David.
At the end of life, when he was about seventy years old (Psalm 37:25), he reflected on his life.
He wrote a psalm that we know as Psalm 37.
The psalm is about the righteous and the wicked.
In Psalm 37, David was addressing believers and encouraging them on how to respond when ungodly people seem to prosper.
Scripture
Let’s read Psalm 37:1-40:
OF DAVID.
1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself 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 act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.
12 The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
16 Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.
20 But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.
27 Turn away from evil and do good;
so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the LORD loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.
32 The wicked watches for the righteous
and seeks to put him to death.
33 The LORD will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
34 Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.
37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in the 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.
Lesson
Psalm 37:1-40 teaches believers what to do when ungodly people seem to prosper.
Let’s use the following outline:
1. Know That the Lord Can Be Trusted (37:1-11)
2. Believe That the Lord Will Thwart Wicked Schemes (37:12-20)
3. Understand That the Lord Blesses Believers (37:21-31)
4. Realize That the Lord Will Judge the Ungodly (37:32-40)
I. Know That the Lord Can Be Trusted (37:1-11)
First, know that the Lord can be trusted.
When you face difficulties, don’t focus on the trouble.
Look to the Lord.
David gave five instructions: one is negative and four are positive.
A. Don’t Fret (37:1-2)
First, don’t fret.
David said in verse 1a, “Fret not yourself because of evildoers.”
The Hebrew word for “fret” means “to burn” or “to get heated up.”
In other words, David was saying, “When you see evil and evildoers, calm down.”
Of course, that is easier said than done.
That is why we must learn to do it even when little nuisances come along.
That way, when we face significant difficulties, like Leah did in northern Nigeria, we have already practiced on the more minor matters.
Moreover, David gave a reason for not fretting in verse 2, where he said, “For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.”
A time will come when there will be no ungodly people.
There will be no wickedness.
One application for believers is that we must take the long view when we consider the wickedness and evil in this world.
Although we would like to have wickedness and evil gone by tomorrow, the fact is that they will still be with us until Jesus returns or until we see Jesus.
We may suffer and struggle now. And we may do so for months or even years, like Leah.
Nevertheless, a time is coming when all wickedness and evil will fade away.
B. Trust in the Lord (37:3)
Second, trust in the Lord.
David said in verse 2, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
We are saved by faith alone.
However, true saving faith is always seen by good works.
So, when ungodly people seem to prosper, we keep looking to the Lord and do what God has called us to do.
We love God.
We love our neighbors as ourselves.
We continue doing what pleases and honors God.
C. Delight in the Lord (37:4)
Third, delight in the Lord.
David said in verse 4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
This verse can be misunderstood.
A person says, “I am a Christian. I love God. My heart desires a pink Cadillac!”
No, that is not the right way to think about this verse.
David is saying that when God is your delight, when you want what only God wants, then you will discover that your desires are his desires.
You will want what pleases God.
You will not want what pleases your sinful nature.
D. Commit Your Way to the Lord (37:5-6)
Fourth, commit your way to the Lord.
David said in verses 5-6, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”
God acts for his people when they are wholeheartedly committed to him.
God may not act as quickly as we might like him to do.
We must realize that we think in terms of days, weeks, months, or even years.
God, however, thinks in terms of eternity.
In his perfect time, God will bring justice to his precious children.
E. Be Patient (37:7-11)
Finally, be patient.
David said in verse 7, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!”
Here is where David explicitly wants believers to realize that sometimes God takes a long time to act on behalf of his children.
We need to remember that slow justice does not mean no justice.
God will hold every wicked person accountable for his or her sins, especially for their acts of wickedness.
In verse 11, David said, “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
Jesus eventually quoted this truth in The Beatitudes when he said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
The ultimate inheritance is in the new earth, where believers in the Lord Jesus will experience eternal peace.
II. Believe That the Lord Will Thwart Wicked Schemes (37:12-20)
Second, believe that the Lord will thwart wicked schemes.
David proposes four ways in which the Lord will thwart the schemes of wicked and ungodly people.
A. The Ungodly Face a Coming Day (37:12-13)
First, the ungodly face a coming day.
David said in verses 12-13, “The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.”
That day may not be during the ungodly person’s lifetime.
It may not be in your lifetime.
But, every ungodly person will experience a day when he or she will stand before the Judge of all the Earth and will have to give an account for what they have said and done.
B. The Ungodly Will Be Repaid in Kind (37:14-15)
Second, the ungodly will be repaid in kind.
David said in verses 14-15, “The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.”
The terror and harm that the ungodly have poured on others will return to them.
However, they will not experience it for only a season; they will experience it for all eternity.
C. The Ungodly Will Be Broken (37:16-17)
Third, the ungodly will be broken.
In verse 17, David said, “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.”
Here is a precious promise that the Lord will uphold those who have experienced the terror of the ungodly.
D. The Ungodly Will Perish (37:18-20)
Finally, the ungodly will perish.
David said in verse 20, “But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.”
The wicked and ungodly may not vanish in this life, as much as we might like that to happen.
However, they will vanish in the next life.
When Jesus returns and sets up his kingdom on the new Earth, there will be no ungodly or wicked people in that new kingdom.
There will only be believers. There will only be men and women, boys and girls who are children of God and are brothers and sisters in Christ.
There will never be sinful thoughts, words, or deeds.
There will only be love and kindness and joy and delight for all eternity.
That will take place because the Lord will thwart wicked schemes.
III. Understand That the Lord Blesses Believers (37:21-31)
Third, understand that the Lord blesses believers.
David highlighted five ways in which the Lord blesses believers.
A. The Lord Blesses Believers with Daily Needs (37:21-22)
First, the Lord blesses believers with daily needs.
David said in verse 21, “The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.”
The reason the righteous give is that the Lord has supplied their daily needs.
Ungodly people may succeed for a time, but eventually they will have to borrow to survive.
Believers, on the other hand, having been blessed by the Lord, will be able to be generous towards others.
By the way, many of these verses are not iron-clad promises.
They function more like proverbs than promises.
In other words, they are generalizations that prove true in so many instances (though not all) that they can be safely applied in most circumstances.
B. The Lord Blesses Believers with Protection (37:23-24)
Second, the Lord blesses believers with protection.
David said in verses 23-24, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”
When a believer delights in the Lord and seeks to follow hard after him, the Lord will protect his way.
I read a story about the great George Mueller regarding the portion of the verse that says, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord.”
George Mueller (1805-1898) lived in England.
He opened orphanages that eventually cared for 10,000 children.
He lived by faith, never directly soliciting people for money.
He kept meticulous records and never went into debt.
Mueller recorded 50,000 answers to prayer throughout his lifetime.
After he died, someone found his Bible.
Scribbled in the margin of his Bible next to the word “steps” in verse 23, Mueller wrote the word “stops.”
In other words, he believed that not only are the “steps” of a man established by the Lord, but so also are the “stops” of a man established by the Lord.
That is how the Lord blesses believers with his protection.
C. The Lord Blesses Believers with His Presence (37:25-26)
Third, the Lord blesses believers with his presence.
David said in verse 25a, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken.”
Though believers may not be aware of it, the Lord is always present with his people.
That is also what Jesus promised in the Great Commission, when he said in Matthew 28:20b, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
D. The Lord Blesses Believers with Preservation (37:27-29)
Fourth, the Lord blesses believers with preservation.
In verse 28, David said of the Lord, “He will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon said in a sermon on Joel 2:25, “We believe in the perseverance of the saints, but many are not saints, and therefore do not persevere. Nominal saints exhibit no final perseverance.”
All true believers will be preserved until the Lord brings them safely home.
E. The Lord Blesses Believers with His Word (37:30-31)
Finally, the Lord blesses believers with his word.
David said in verse 31, “The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.”
The believer who has God’s word internalized discovers that his steps do not slip.
He knows God.
He knows God’s word.
He can apply God’s word to his life.
He can act on God’s word because he knows God.
It is a great blessing to have God’s word.
It is an even greater blessing to have God’s word in your heart.
IV. Realize That the Lord Will Judge the Ungodly (37:32-40)
Finally, realize that the Lord will judge the ungodly.
David used three images to illustrate God’s judgment on those who reject him and rebel against him.
The three images are: (1) the court trial (37:32-34); (2) the tree (37:35-36); and (3) the rescue (37:37-40).
In each case, the Lord judges the ungodly and preserves the believer.
There are two exhortations to the believer that I want to note.
David said in verse 34, “Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.”
My dear Christian, “Wait for the Lord and keep his way.”
You must be patient. God will not usually act immediately to relieve your suffering and trial.
Be patient and keep obeying.
If you do these two things, you will eventually see God judging the ungodly.
I think of Leah, who is still in captivity.
She has been experiencing wickedness and evil for more than seven years.
She is waiting for the Lord and keeping his way.
Her reward will be great when she sees her Savior.
And your reward will be great too when you see Jesus, if you wait for the Lord and keep his way.
Conclusion
When Jesus was a child, he learned Psalm 37.
Undoubtedly, he also sang Psalm 37.
He clung to the truths of Psalm 37 throughout his life.
As he preached and taught, he experienced rejection.
Throughout his three-year ministry, his rejection by ungodly people got worse.
Finally, he was cruelly beaten and crucified.
He knew that the Lord could be trusted.
He believed that the Lord would thwart wicked schemes.
He understood that the Lord blesses those who believe in him.
And he realized that the Lord would judge the ungodly.
I pray that you will know and believe the truths that Jesus knew and believed. Amen.
