Following the first half of Psalm 37, is the obvious promise of preservation of God’s people. Also repeated, it says that the wicked will be cut off (in other words, NOT preserved). Their path leads to destruction.

After commanding that the righteous trust the Lord no matter what happens or how prosperous the wicked are NOW, the second half repeatedly assures the righteous that (and here’s the point of contact for us):

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. – Psalm 37:23-24

There are pitfalls in the path but the Lord holds your hand. If the Lord holds your hand then you will not fall in the pit. This psalm doesn’t answer the questions: why the pitfalls? If you, Lord, have established my steps then why are there holes in the path?

What it does say is that no matter what befalls you, He will not forsake you but he is gracious to you. “They are preserved forever” (28).

It also warns that the wicked will pass away and be no more. Though… “I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.” – Psalm 37:35-36

This tree has the appearance of luxurious prosperity but its end is eternally fatal. But that is not so for one who walks with the Lord.

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. – Psalm 37:39-40

He’s got you! Trust and wait! He will help you.

Fret (3x) not yourself because of evildoers – Psalm 37:1

When wrongdoers do wrong but prosper and by contrast you do right and do not prosper NOW, it’s easy to join the wrongdoers by fretting and fretting tends only to evil.

But the Lord calls us to respond differently. Trust, do good, delight in the Lord, commit your way to the Lord, trust (repeated), rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.

The wrongdoers will wither quickly.

The humble *will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

It will be worth the wait. Do not trade in a vapor of prosperity for eternity.

The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; – Psalm 37:18

In Psalm 31, David has taken refuge in Yahweh. He asked the Lord that he never be ashamed of his need to take refuge in Him. David cannot deliver himself, rescue himself, he isn’t strong, and he needs to be led and guided. Those are things the world is unwilling to admit.

Yet, even though David takes refuge in Yahweh, his enemies are allowed to set a net secretly for David AND catch him! Indeed, was the Lord not leading him? But David’s certainty is that Yahweh will pull him out of the net!

As the Psalm continues, though David takes refuge IN the Lord he is IN distress and pleads for grace. People flee from him in the street because his enemies have made him a reproach. He is slandered and forgotten. Terror is on every side!

Do not believe for one second that those who trust in the Lord are excluded from affliction and troubles of the soul. It’s a lie!

Yet, it is temporary! In your alarm you may feel, think and say, “I am cut off from before the Lord” but dear godly ones, He has heard your voice and cries.

Hear how the Psalm ends:

Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart *take courage, all you who *wait for the LORD! – Psalm 31:23-24

Psalm 30 begins with David saying he will lift (extol) the Name of the Lord because Yahweh had lifted him up. So, the rest of the Psalm is the extolling of Yahweh.

It’s first personal (singular “I”) then moves to corporate commands to join him in praising Yahweh. Then it moves back to personal with David extolling the Name!

I think we should follow this pattern. We might often say let’s live our lives for God’s glory but never flesh that out. How do we live for his glory? It must move past the obvious fact of the matter to actually doing something.

While David extolled the Name of the Lord in this Psalm, he greatly encouraged me…brought me into his own story and praise. Can you not relate when he says, “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” – Psalm 30:5

Why is this so encouraging? Because for people like us, His anger should be more than a moment. Ponder that word and image! His anger is only for a moment!

Now, hear the contrast…His grace for a lifetime! Compare the duration of a moment and a lifetime! Yeah! That’s marvelous! One day the darkness will give way to eternal light! Dear saints of the Lord, joy comes with the morning…mornings that are full of new mercies! And Yahweh will turn our *mourning into dancing!

Sing praise to Yahweh, you His godly ones!

I read Psalm 27, this morning. Commenting on verses 7-12, Kidner writes, “David gets back to the ‘one thing’ he has set his heart on (4a), and holds on to the fact that the first move, after all, has come from God. *He will not ask for our love (8a) and then withhold his own (9a).”

This *statement jolted me! I’m not sure entirely why. It’s so simple. I guess it reveals in me how I view myself as unloveable. I too easily forget that His heart isn’t fickle like mine. Indeed, He has steadfast love! He is the Initiator!

When you fear, what is the one thing you want?

You can’t fight darkness (evil) with darkness. It must be with light (God! and truth). Just remember what is true of your enemies, “they have stumbled and fell” (past tense!)

2 O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame – Psalm 25:2-3

We need various images of what trusting the Lord looks like. In this psalm, trusting is waiting. David’s issue is that his enemies are making his trust in the Lord look shameful. Yet, the Lord does not answer but for reasons unknown to David, God delays. Nevertheless, David trusts/waits. He is certain that in the end his trust/waiting will not bring shame upon himself or the Lord in whom he trusts.

Do you trust the Lord? If trust is defined in terms of waiting are you waiting on the Lord?

Kidner defines waiting: “to wait is to accept his time and therefore his wisdom.”

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who *wait for him. – Isaiah 64:4

Be content! The Lord knows what he is doing!