The Righteous And The Wicked Series

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;