Psalm 37

A Basic Outline
A Teaching Psalm for direction and inspiration
Do Not Fret, 1-2
…about evil doers or workers of iniquity, 1
…because their judgement is coming, 2
Trust in the Lord, 3-7a
…trust & do
…dwell & feed
…delight yourself (Result – He shall give…)
…commit/trust (Result – He shall bring…)
…rest & wait patiently
Do Not Fret, 7b-8
…because of him who prospers
…because of the man who brings
…cease from anger & forsake wrath
…it only causes harm
Reason: Future Outcomes, 9-20
…evil doers shall.. but those who wait shall, 9
…the wicked shall.. but the meek shall, 10-11
…the wicked plots.. the Lord laughs, 12-13
…the wicked have.. their sword shall, 14-15
…a little is better.. for the arms shall be, 16-17
…the Lord knows.. but the wicked shall, 18-20
…those blessed… but those cursed, 21-22
Results of righteousness, 23-26
…the steps of a good man are ordered.., 23
…he shall not be utterly cast down.., 24
…I have not seen the righteous forsaken.., 25
…his descendants are blessed.., 26
Invitation & motivation to do good, 27-29
…depart from…do good.., 27
…for the Lord loves…does not forsake.., 28
…they are preserved forever.., 28
…but the descendants of the wicked.., 28
…the righteous shall inherit…and dwell.., 29
Description of the righteous, 30-33
…the mouth..the tongue…in his heart, 30-31
…the wicked watches…the Lord will, 32-33
Invitation & motivation to wait, 34-36
…wait on…and keep His way
…He shall exalt… you shall see it, 34
…I have seen the wicked…spreading, 35
…yet he passed away…he was no more, 37
See for yourself… 37-40
..mark..observe..the future of that man is, 37
..but the transgressors shall be, 38
..but the salvation of the righteous is, 39-40

What sticks out?
“Do not fret…nor be envious of the workers of iniquity… Trust in the Lord…”
Where does this make a difference?
There are two places to focus at the beginning of the psalm, on the wicked or on the Lord. I’ll have to make a choice again and again. It makes think about Peter when he walked on the water. He went from looking at the Lord to looking at the waves.
“Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness” I remember how the Lord told the exodus generation that He would water the land. They wouldn’t irrigate the land like they had in Egypt. Every ounce of produce consumed from the Promise Land was a result of God’s faithfulness. Is this what David had in view? Or was it broader, including the other ways He would have demonstrated His faithfulness?

In any case, I’m challenged to recognize again how God has been faithful to provide. The roof over my head. The food on my table. The breath in my lungs. The fellowship in my family. Thank You Lord!

What sticks out?
“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Margin notes “commit” = “roll off onto”
What difference does this make?
Roll my dreams, desires, plans, anxieties… Roll them onto You. You would command me to roll these burdens onto You? I tend to think I should carry my stuff as far as I can and then someone would take it only because I couldn’t take it any longer. They would take it perhaps begrudgingly. But You invite me and command me…to roll it off onto You.
May all my dreams and burdens be worthy of Your involvement. May they be pleasing to You. May You find me trusting You with all of these. May You bring to pass Your plans…nothing more, nothing less.

What sticks out?
He orders my steps and delights over my life… He upholds me with His hand.
You are personally involved. You’ve thought about my day, the ins and outs of it. You made plans for me. My living those plans is a source of pleasure.
What difference does this make?
I’m not alone. My day is not out of control, randomly ping ponging off the walls. You’re aware and planning even as the wicked plot. There’s hope when I’m down because You’re here and involved.

What sticks out?
“Mark the blameless and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace.” The reason behind David’s confidence? “He is their strength…the Lord shall help them and deliver… He shall deliver and save.”
What difference does this make?
Confident because God is involved and helping. I don’t know how it will unfold or how the road will swerve. But I know You will save and deliver.
There are days when I can’t see Your solution or help. Days when I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. But I have this truth to rest in as I look… “the Lord shall help them and deliver them.”

What sticks out?
“rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way…” Instead of going down the path of worry, I’m to go down the path of resting in You.
What difference does this make?
It’s easier to stop worrying and start trusting & waiting than to simply stop worrying. The eyes of my heart are going to dwell on something… May they dwell on You continually. May I look to You, and not myself, for deliverance.

What sticks out?
“The Lord will not leave him in his hand…”
What difference does this make?
Do I really believe that the Lord will deliver me. I think the anxiety in my heart shows there are times where I don’t. I worry that it won’t work out. I worry about what to do so that it will work out. It’s like I blackout and revert to old ways of thinking sometimes. “This is all on me. I’ve got to figure this out and protect myself.” Instead of, “I don’t need to panic. The Lord will take care of me. Wait on Him. Trust Him. You will not leave me.”