37:1We should never envy evil people, even though some may be extremely popular or excessively rich. No matter how much they have, it will fade and vanish like grass that withers and dies. Those who follow Gad live differently from the wicked and, in the end, will have treasures in heaven. What an unbeliever gets on earth may last a lifetime, but what you get from following God lasts forever.
Life Application Study BiblePsalmsChapter 37
Psalm 37
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 881, 882, 883
37Psalm 37
1or envy those who do wrong.
2For like grass, they soon fade away.Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
3Trust in the LORD and do good.Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4Take delight in the LORD,and he will give you your heart's desires.
5Commit everything you do to the LORD.Trust him, and he will help you.
6He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
7Be still in the presence of the LORD,and wait patiently for him to act.Don’t worry about evil people who prosperor fret about their wicked schemes.
8Stop being angry!Turn from your rage!37 This psalm is a Hebrew acrostic poem; each stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm.
9For the wicked will be destroyed,but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.
10Soon the wicked will disappear.Though you look for them, they will be gone.
11The lowly will possess the landand will live in peace and prosperity.
12The wicked plot against the godly;they snarl at them in defiance.
13But the LORD just laughs,for he sees their day of judgment coming.
14The wicked draw their swordsand string their bowsto kill the poor and the oppressed,to slaughter those who do right.
15But their swords will stab their own hearts,and their bows will be broken.
16It is better to be godly and have littlethan to be evil and rich.
17For the strength of the wicked will be shattered,but the LORD takes care of the godly.
18Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. 19They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough. 20But the wicked will die. The LORD’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke.
21The wicked borrow and never repay,but the godly are generous givers.
22Those the LORD biesses will possess the land,but those he curses will die.
23The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. 25Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. 26The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.
27Turn from evil and do good,and you will live in the land forever.
28For the LORD loves justice,and he will never abandon the godly.He will keep them safe forever,but the children of the wicked will die.
29The godly will possess the landand will live there forever.
30The godly offer good counsel;they teach right from wrong.
31They have made God’s law their own,so they will never slip from his path.
32The wicked wait in ambush for the godly,looking for an excuse to kill them.
33But the LORD will not let the wicked succeedor let the godly be condemned when they are put on:
34Put your hope in the LORD.Travel steadily along his path.He will honor you by giving you the land.You will see the wicked destroyed.
35T have seen wicked and ruthless peopleflourishing like a tree in its native soil.
36But when I looked again, they were gone!Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
37Look at those who are honest and good,for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
38But the rebellious will be destroyed;they have no future.
39The LORD rescues the godly;he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40The LORD helps them,rescuing them from the wicked.He saves them,and they find shelter in him.Theme: Sorrow for sin brings hope. God alone is the true source Iprotection for those who confess their sins to him.
Life Application Notes 7 notes
37:4,5David calls us to take delight in the LORD and to commit everything we have and do to him. But how do we do this? To delight in someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This happens only when we know that person well. Thus, to delight in the LORD, we must know him better. Knowledge of God's great jove for us will indeed give us delight. To commit ourselves to the LORD means entrusting everything—our lives, families, jobs, possessions—to his control and guidance. To commit ourselves to the LORD means to trust in him (37:5), believing that he can care for us better than we can ourselves. We should be willing to wait patiently (37:7) for him to work out what is best for us.
37:8,9Anger, rage, and losing our temper are very destructive emotions. They reveal a lack of faith that God loves us and is in control. We should not worry; instead, we should trust in God, giving ourselves to him for his use and safekeeping. When you dwell on your problems, you will become anxious and angry. But if you concentrate on God and his goodness, you will find peace. Where do you focus your attention?
37:11Being lowly hardly seems the proper demeanor to deal with enemies. God’s warfare, however, must be carried out with caim faith, humility before God, and hope in his deliverance. Jesus also promises a sure reward for those with humble attitudes (Matthew 5:5).
37:21You can tell a {ot about a person’s character by the way he or she handles money. The wicked person steals under the guise of borrowing. The righteous person gives generously to the needy. Wicked people, therefore, focus on themselves, while righteous people look to the welfare of others.
37:23,24The person in whom God delights is one who follows God, trusts him, and tries to do his will. God watches over and makes firm every step that person takes. If you would like to have God direct your way, then seek his advite before you step out.
37:25Because children starve today, as they did in David's time, what did David mean by these words? The children of the righteous need not go hungry because other believers should help them in their time of need. In David's day, Israel obeyed God's laws, which ensured that the poor were treated fairly and mercifully. As long as Israel was obedient, food would be available for everyone. When Israel forgot God, the rich took care of themselves only, and the poor suffered (Amos 2:6, 7). When we see a Christian brother or sister suffering today, we can respond in one of three ways: (1) We can say, as Job’s friends did, that the afflicted person brought this on himself. (2) We can say that this is a test to help the person develop more patience and trust in God. (3) We can help the person in need. David would approve of only the last option. Although many governments today have their own programs for helping those in need, this is no excuse for ignoring the poor and needy within our reach.
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 883
trial.
Study feature · page 883
of healing and