What Is Your Path? ~ Psalm 37

Where are your going? Do you have a life-plan? Is your career on track? Is your personal life where you want it to be? Are you getting closer to your goals or are they always pushed aside?

Have you seen those people who seem to have everything? New house, new car, expensive clothes, great job, two well-behaved children…Some of them also have some dishonest ways of keeping those “perfect” things. Maybe they lie, cheat or steal. God doesn’t want us to be envious of others. We need to be especially careful not to envy those who gain things is dishonest or even evil ways.

Psalm 37:1-2 ~ Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

God tells us to trust Him in all we do. Seek Him and follow His ways. If we do good things in His name and follow whatever path He has for us, He will give us the desires of our hearts. He will help us shine our light for His glory.

Psalm 37:3-6 ~ Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Have you ever wondered how people “hear God”?

Psalm 37:7 ~ Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

God wants us to be careful not to get angry or fret. He cautions us that anger and fretting leads to evil. He encourages us to place our hope in Him. Wicked people will not survive eternity.

Psalm 37:8-10 ~ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.  For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.

God calls us to be meek promising us great peace in return. He cautions us that evil doers will plot against us. We can rejoice knowing that the wicked who plot against us will fall by their own evil intentions.

Psalm 37:11-15 ~ But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

God wants us to be content with all we have no matter how little or how big. He wants us to be thankful for all we have and not want what others have.

Psalm 37:16-17 ~ Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

If we walk in the path God has made us, our “fortune” will last forever. We will have tough times but we will get through them with God’s strength and help. When we give to others generously God will bless us and those who take greedily will stumble.

Psalm 37:18-24 ~ The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. But the wicked will perish: The LORD’s enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish—vanish like smoke. The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off. If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm;  though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

God takes care of the needs of His people. If we turn from worldly ways and live our lives for God, He will be faithful to us. We are encouraged to follow as young children but where ever you are in your life, it’s the right time to put evil ways behind us and walk in God’s light.

Psalm 37:25-29 ~ I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.  They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.  Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.  For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever,but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

Speak with wisdom that comes from knowing God and studying His Word. Be truthful and honest in all your words and dealings. This will keep you on solid ground and keeping us from slipping into wickedness.

Psalm 37:30-33 ~ The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.  The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

Often times we want things to work out NOW. We’ve become impatient and demanding. God wants us to wait on His timing. When we do, we can see how much better His way is but when we rush in on our time, we come up against struggles we wouldn’t have if only we had waited on God’s timing.

Psalm 37:34-36 ~ Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it. I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil, but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.

Salvation comes to those who serve God blamelessly. This means those who serve with honesty and a pure heart. To be blameless, we have to serve without malice or evil intentions. Even the wicked can be saved if they decide to live a life for Christ and take refuge in Him.

Psalm 37:37-40 ~ Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace. But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.  The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.