WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.419 We're moving this morning to Psalm 37. 00:00:06.640 --> 00:00:14.519 So this is a psalm that not too long ago we read in our Bible reading plan. 00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:18.719 ! If you're a little bit behind, it was much more recent than for those of y'all that are on track. 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:23.859 But it's something that really hit Margaret and I really hard. 00:00:23.980 --> 00:00:27.440 It was really helpful to us, and I thought I'd share it with you. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:31.400 I've considered only reading the first 11 verses this morning. 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:36.219 But due to the flow of the psalm, I think we really need to read the whole thing. 00:00:36.820 --> 00:00:40.200 I think it's all really, really precious to us. 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:42.859 In the Hebrew, it was an acrostic. 00:00:43.400 --> 00:00:49.500 For those of y'all that may not know what that is, i.e. me, who didn't know what that was before I did a little bit of research, 00:00:49.659 --> 00:00:53.780 each little stanza started with a letter of the alphabet and just followed the alphabet. 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:55.100 So really cool. 00:00:55.100 --> 00:01:01.320 Of course, that doesn't translate over, but nonetheless, still a really, really cool psalm. 00:01:01.539 --> 00:01:07.960 So it is 40 verses, so hopefully you don't think I'm too crazy for reading and preaching on 40 verses. 00:01:08.260 --> 00:01:16.599 But in light of that, I'd just like to remind that anything good that I have to say is because God has already said it. 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:20.480 That's what we have to preach is God's word. 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:24.219 In community group this past week, we looked at the first chapter of Joshua. 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:26.500 And Clay led us in a study on it. 00:01:26.700 --> 00:01:34.340 And something that I noticed and was really helpful as the group talked about it was the ways that Joshua encouraged the children of Israel there 00:01:34.340 --> 00:01:36.960 were the exact same way that the Lord had encouraged him. 00:01:37.580 --> 00:01:39.400 And that is what I'm here to do this morning. 00:01:39.500 --> 00:01:42.520 I'm here to shed light on what God has already said. 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:43.420 I have nothing new. 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:44.379 I have his word. 00:01:44.479 --> 00:01:47.959 And that's what we're here to preach on and to listen to. 00:01:48.099 --> 00:01:52.280 And so continue to pray for me this morning as we get into that. 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:57.259 So as we get started, I'd like to share the same thing Nathan does every week. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:01:59.519 And I remind you all that this is God's word to us. 00:02:00.019 --> 00:02:02.239 It was written for his glory and for our good. 00:02:02.379 --> 00:02:06.979 We would do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands. 00:02:06.980 --> 00:02:08.580 So let's go ahead and read it. 00:02:08.740 --> 00:02:09.860 Psalm 37. 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:12.800 Picking up in the first verse, it says, 00:02:13.300 --> 00:02:15.159 Fret not yourself because of evildoers. 00:02:15.539 --> 00:02:17.319 Be not envious of wrongdoers. 00:02:17.719 --> 00:02:20.840 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:22.980 Trust in the Lord and do good. 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:25.300 Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 00:02:25.860 --> 00:02:28.699 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. 00:02:29.300 --> 00:02:30.379 Commit your way to the Lord. 00:02:30.640 --> 00:02:32.199 Trust in him and he will act. 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:36.280 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. 00:02:37.020 --> 00:02:39.520 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. 00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:44.580 Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices. 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:47.259 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. 00:02:47.860 --> 00:02:48.560 Fret not yourself. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:49.780 It tends only to evil. 00:02:50.539 --> 00:02:52.000 For the evildoers shall be cut off. 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:54.340 But those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 00:02:54.819 --> 00:02:56.800 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more. 00:02:56.920 --> 00:02:59.300 Though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 00:02:59.300 --> 00:03:03.500 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. 00:03:03.500 --> 00:03:07.379 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him. 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:10.740 But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:14.780 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.500 to slay those whose way is upright. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:19.780 Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 00:03:20.659 --> 00:03:23.819 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. 00:03:24.300 --> 00:03:27.659 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. 00:03:27.659 --> 00:03:32.079 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever. 00:03:32.900 --> 00:03:34.699 They are not put to shame in evil times. 00:03:34.819 --> 00:03:36.359 In the days of famine, they have abundance. 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:38.099 But the wicked will perish. 00:03:38.300 --> 00:03:40.599 The enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures. 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:41.180 They vanish. 00:03:41.319 --> 00:03:42.599 Like smoke, they vanish away. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:45.280 The wicked borrows, but does not pay back. 00:03:45.340 --> 00:03:47.159 But the righteous is generous and gives. 00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:49.699 For those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, 00:03:49.819 --> 00:03:51.819 but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 00:03:52.539 --> 00:03:56.000 The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:00.020 Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:02.340 I have been young, and now I'm old. 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:06.039 Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his children begging for bread. 00:04:06.520 --> 00:04:09.360 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:11.740 Turn away from evil, and do good. 00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:13.039 So shall you dwell forever. 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:14.860 For the Lord loves justice. 00:04:14.979 --> 00:04:16.759 He will not forsake his saints. 00:04:17.300 --> 00:04:20.180 They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 00:04:20.579 --> 00:04:23.560 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell upon it forever. 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:27.699 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:29.879 The law of his God is in his heart. 00:04:30.100 --> 00:04:31.300 His steps do not slip. 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:35.339 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. 00:04:35.740 --> 00:04:39.879 The Lord will not abandon him to his power, or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:44.060 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. 00:04:44.579 --> 00:04:46.340 You will look on when the wicked are cut off. 00:04:46.339 --> 00:04:51.079 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:53.859 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more. 00:04:54.359 --> 00:04:55.979 Though I sought him, he could not be found. 00:04:56.619 --> 00:05:00.479 Mark the blameless, and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. 00:05:00.939 --> 00:05:03.239 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed. 00:05:03.659 --> 00:05:05.419 The future of the wicked shall be cut off. 00:05:06.059 --> 00:05:08.099 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:10.099 He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:12.659 The Lord helps them and delivers them. 00:05:12.660 --> 00:05:16.700 He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. 00:05:17.900 --> 00:05:18.240 Amen. 00:05:18.400 --> 00:05:20.060 So this is our text this morning. 00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:20.960 There's a lot in it. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:24.700 We're not going to be able to pick out every little thing in it. 00:05:24.900 --> 00:05:27.480 But I do want to structure it in three parts. 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:30.700 And it'll be a little bit, there's list within list here. 00:05:30.900 --> 00:05:32.140 So stay with me. 00:05:32.340 --> 00:05:34.620 If you're taking notes, the three main sections. 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:38.720 First one is reasons we fear and envy the wicked. 00:05:39.840 --> 00:05:42.560 That was reasons we fear and envy the wicked. 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:48.220 The second one, similarly, will be reasons we should not fear and envy the wicked. 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:54.080 And the third one will be the conclusion of the righteous. 00:05:56.100 --> 00:05:58.300 So let's go ahead and get into that first one. 00:05:58.740 --> 00:06:00.480 So reasons we fear and envy the wicked. 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:01.240 Have two of these. 00:06:02.400 --> 00:06:06.420 So first one is they seem strong and prosperous for a season. 00:06:07.280 --> 00:06:10.220 They seem strong and prosperous for a season. 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:11.820 Let's look at verse 2. 00:06:12.660 --> 00:06:13.420 Verse 2 says, 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:16.439 For they soon will fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 00:06:16.520 --> 00:06:17.600 This verse is very clear. 00:06:18.200 --> 00:06:19.200 They are fading away. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:22.480 Doesn't let us think anything else about that. 00:06:22.880 --> 00:06:24.540 But if we think about grass, 00:06:24.540 --> 00:06:26.580 In its prime, it is crazy. 00:06:26.900 --> 00:06:27.420 It's strong. 00:06:27.420 --> 00:06:28.540 It will grow anywhere. 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:33.360 Living in a house that was built in an old cow pasture for quite some time. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:35.879 If we didn't take care of that grass, it would take over the place. 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:38.260 That's what this verse is communicating. 00:06:38.439 --> 00:06:40.740 Even though they definitely will eventually fade away. 00:06:41.140 --> 00:06:44.000 They seem really, really, really strong for a little while. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:47.220 Verse 7 says that the wicked prosper in the way. 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:51.640 Verse 20 uses the grass analogy again and talks about its great glory. 00:06:51.639 --> 00:06:54.959 Verse 35 I think I find really, really interesting. 00:06:55.659 --> 00:06:58.259 It describes the wicked as a green laurel tree. 00:06:58.919 --> 00:06:59.680 Think about a tree. 00:06:59.800 --> 00:07:01.240 It just grows and grows and grows. 00:07:01.339 --> 00:07:04.759 It towers above everyone, towering above all other plants. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:08.339 It just rises above the earth and gains so much power as it does. 00:07:09.159 --> 00:07:12.300 That's how the wicked so often seem to us. 00:07:12.599 --> 00:07:16.740 Evil people seem to gain power and gain power and just seem to tower over us. 00:07:16.740 --> 00:07:18.579 And oftentimes we feel so powerless. 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:25.199 Thinking of some places that we see this outside of the psalm, I immediately think of Psalm 73. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:28.800 So that's a psalm that Clay shared, I believe, last week. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:30.560 Go ahead and turn there for just a minute. 00:07:31.620 --> 00:07:32.300 Psalm 73. 00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:32.360 Psalm 73. 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:32.360 00:07:46.740 --> 00:07:49.800 We're going to look at verses 3 through 12 here. 00:07:51.060 --> 00:07:55.660 So starting in verse 3, Asaph is talking about how well he sees that the wicked have it. 00:07:56.400 --> 00:07:58.720 So in verse 3, it says, 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:02.160 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:04.699 For they have no pangs until death. 00:08:04.780 --> 00:08:06.180 Their bodies are fat and sleek. 00:08:06.420 --> 00:08:08.660 They're not in trouble as others are. 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:10.840 They're not stricken like the rest of mankind. 00:08:11.540 --> 00:08:12.920 Therefore, pride is their necklace. 00:08:13.139 --> 00:08:14.480 Violence covers them as a garment. 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:16.800 Their eyes swell out through fatness. 00:08:16.900 --> 00:08:18.480 Their hearts overflow with follies. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:20.580 They scoff and speak with malice. 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:21.980 Loftily they threaten oppression. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:26.220 They set their mouths against the heavens and their tongue struts through the earth. 00:08:26.860 --> 00:08:29.660 Therefore, his people turn back to them and find no fault in them. 00:08:29.800 --> 00:08:31.040 And they say, How can God know? 00:08:31.220 --> 00:08:32.420 Is there knowledge in the most high? 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:35.180 Behold, these are the wicked, always at ease. 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:36.740 They increase in riches. 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:41.220 So often it really does seem that the wicked have it really easy. 00:08:41.220 --> 00:08:46.519 So often it seems that things are just going perfect and so well for them. 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:47.340 They're in good health. 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:48.060 They have money. 00:08:48.560 --> 00:08:49.740 They boast in their riches. 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:54.899 People that don't study for tests that we study really hard for end up with A's on it and we fail it. 00:08:56.279 --> 00:09:00.139 People who slander others and don't serve their coworkers well end up getting promotions. 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:06.320 People who go throughout life with no regard for God seem to have it so well. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:10.460 So they definitely do seem prosperous for a season. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:12.540 So point two. 00:09:14.060 --> 00:09:16.620 This is the second reason we fear and envy the wicked. 00:09:18.280 --> 00:09:20.840 Is that they threaten and slander us. 00:09:22.540 --> 00:09:24.200 They threaten and slander us. 00:09:24.520 --> 00:09:25.420 Looking at verse 12. 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:26.300 It says, 00:09:26.420 --> 00:09:29.760 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:32.659 Same concept down in verse 14. 00:09:32.819 --> 00:09:32.960 It says, 00:09:33.059 --> 00:09:37.360 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and the needy. 00:09:37.779 --> 00:09:39.700 To slay those whose way is upright. 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:44.779 It's true that the wicked put tons and tons and tons of energy into hurting us. 00:09:45.240 --> 00:09:48.600 They don't want anything to do with God and so they don't want anything to do with us. 00:09:49.340 --> 00:09:52.519 That's something I really love about this psalm and about a lot of psalms. 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:55.480 It doesn't hide the real struggles. 00:09:56.060 --> 00:10:00.480 These struggles that the wicked are just coming against us with threats and slander are real. 00:10:00.700 --> 00:10:01.740 We see them all the time. 00:10:02.220 --> 00:10:06.200 Those things we mentioned earlier with our co-workers just finding ways to make us look bad. 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:09.700 Or our family members around the holidays that just don't want to talk to us. 00:10:09.740 --> 00:10:12.019 Because they know we'll want to talk about our Lord. 00:10:12.800 --> 00:10:14.899 So even as we discussed a couple weeks ago. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:17.840 The physically persecuted church around the world. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:20.440 So why do we not? 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:23.600 Why do we not envy the wicked with their circumstances? 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:28.159 And why do we not fear the wicked when they are trying to hurt us? 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:28.879 Trying to kill us? 00:10:28.940 --> 00:10:30.820 So let's dig into these texts a little bit more. 00:10:31.580 --> 00:10:35.279 And look at the reasons the Lord gives us to not envy them and to not fear them. 00:10:35.980 --> 00:10:37.320 So this second part. 00:10:38.560 --> 00:10:41.399 Reasons we should not fear and envy the wicked. 00:10:43.800 --> 00:10:45.980 So reasons we should not fear and envy the wicked. 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:47.399 Have four of these. 00:10:48.100 --> 00:10:50.340 So the first one is grass dies. 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:52.700 Grass dies. 00:10:52.700 --> 00:10:53.960 It's really simple. 00:10:54.560 --> 00:10:56.100 That's how it's communicated here. 00:10:56.600 --> 00:10:57.640 We can be sure of it. 00:10:58.420 --> 00:11:02.340 All of these verses which compare the wicked to grass and plants have a driving point. 00:11:02.900 --> 00:11:05.100 Grass is really beautiful and powerful for a season. 00:11:05.280 --> 00:11:06.300 But then it just dies. 00:11:06.420 --> 00:11:07.460 And it is no more. 00:11:08.100 --> 00:11:08.620 Verse 2 says, 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:11.640 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 00:11:12.420 --> 00:11:13.200 Verse 20 says, 00:11:13.300 --> 00:11:14.340 But the wicked will perish. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:17.180 The enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures. 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:18.920 They vanish like smoke. 00:11:19.040 --> 00:11:19.840 They vanish away. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:22.180 They so quickly burn up. 00:11:22.220 --> 00:11:23.019 And it's just gone. 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:25.620 The great glory a pastor had to begin with. 00:11:25.780 --> 00:11:26.440 And it's just gone. 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:29.139 And this is their only portion. 00:11:29.940 --> 00:11:31.460 This is the only portion of the wicked. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:37.320 This is something that Bob Boyk has been really faithful to remind me all the time. 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:39.240 After this life, the wicked have nothing. 00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:41.760 This is all they have. 00:11:43.860 --> 00:11:47.540 How terrible that must be for this to be someone's only portion. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:49.960 When we know our great inheritance. 00:11:51.140 --> 00:11:52.240 So, grass dies. 00:11:53.280 --> 00:11:57.980 Reason 2, really similar to reason 1, is that we know their end. 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:00.200 And we know their end. 00:12:01.020 --> 00:12:04.640 The scripture says it so well that I just want to go back and read a chunk of it. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:07.139 So, let's look at starting in verse 9. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:11.059 I'm going to read down through 17. 00:12:13.460 --> 00:12:14.759 So, starting in verse 9, it says, 00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:16.460 For the evildoers shall be cut off. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.340 But those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.699 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more. 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:25.879 Though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:30.159 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. 00:12:30.700 --> 00:12:33.659 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him. 00:12:33.659 --> 00:12:35.039 But the Lord laughs at the wicked. 00:12:35.179 --> 00:12:36.879 For he sees that his day is coming. 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:40.579 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy. 00:12:40.699 --> 00:12:42.139 To slay those whose way is upright. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:44.120 Their sword shall enter their own heart. 00:12:44.319 --> 00:12:45.480 And their bows shall be broken. 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:49.439 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. 00:12:50.019 --> 00:12:51.659 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken. 00:12:51.819 --> 00:12:53.159 But the Lord upholds the righteous. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:58.659 Here in these verses, we see many, many, many reminders that the wicked's day is coming. 00:12:58.659 --> 00:13:00.740 There's just nine verses right there. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:05.319 Five different ways of communicating that the wicked will not ultimately prevail. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:08.759 I love the way verse 10 and 11 says it. 00:13:08.939 --> 00:13:14.360 It's saying, in a little while, if we just look around for someone that was wicked and search around for him, see how he's doing. 00:13:14.959 --> 00:13:15.860 He won't be there. 00:13:17.559 --> 00:13:18.439 Where will he be? 00:13:19.539 --> 00:13:21.779 He'll be suffering eternal punishment for sin. 00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:24.399 He won't seem so prosperous anymore. 00:13:24.579 --> 00:13:28.279 At verse 14 and 15, it shows that, why is this? 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:29.559 It'll be their own sin. 00:13:29.659 --> 00:13:31.959 Their own traps that they tried to set against us. 00:13:32.459 --> 00:13:36.000 It'll be their own rebellion against the Lord that will be their ultimate downfall. 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:41.120 And as verse 12 and 13 says, the Lord sees the plots of the wicked and he just laughs at them. 00:13:41.939 --> 00:13:46.779 Their plots against us, which are ultimately plots against the Lord, will not stand against his judgment. 00:13:47.939 --> 00:13:48.879 We know our Lord. 00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:50.319 We know his character. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:53.400 I'm just looking at Exodus 34, verses 6 and 7. 00:13:53.580 --> 00:13:56.600 That so often quoted passage about his character. 00:13:56.760 --> 00:14:03.080 It says, the Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:10.260 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty. 00:14:11.140 --> 00:14:12.440 That's the character of our Lord. 00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:15.240 He will punish those not found in him. 00:14:15.660 --> 00:14:17.200 And that will be an eternal punishment. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:21.000 Their sin has to be punished because of God's great justice. 00:14:22.280 --> 00:14:28.320 And so for those not found in Christ, those not trusting in his bloodshed on their behalf, it will be eternal judgment and damnation. 00:14:28.820 --> 00:14:29.620 We know that. 00:14:29.740 --> 00:14:31.080 And we know their end. 00:14:32.259 --> 00:14:34.140 We know that they have their portion here. 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:36.540 And it is the only portion they have. 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:39.360 So we know their end. 00:14:40.899 --> 00:14:41.740 Third reason. 00:14:43.879 --> 00:14:46.360 Envy and fear tends only to evil. 00:14:47.819 --> 00:14:50.199 Envy and fear tends only to evil. 00:14:50.959 --> 00:14:52.439 It's a direct quote from here. 00:14:52.500 --> 00:14:54.000 Look at verses 7 through 9. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.980 It says, 00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:58.500 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. 00:14:59.460 --> 00:15:04.240 Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:06.919 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:08.299 Fret not yourself. 00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:09.600 It tends only to evil. 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:11.940 For the evildoers shall be cut off. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:14.700 But those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 00:15:14.700 --> 00:15:24.420 So when we're worried and fretting ourselves over the condition of the wicked, over the condition of anyone else, we're very likely to become unrighteously angry. 00:15:25.040 --> 00:15:32.040 So quickly can we forget what our anger is directed to and just become mad at our circumstances. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:36.100 James 1 verses 19 and 20 says, 00:15:36.100 --> 00:15:37.740 Know this, my beloved brothers. 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:41.480 Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. 00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:45.399 For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 00:15:46.920 --> 00:15:52.480 When we become just very quickly angry when observing someone else's situation, we are prone to covet. 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:53.820 We're prone to lust. 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:58.740 We're prone to want something that is not ours and then be angry at the Lord that we don't have it. 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:03.019 So, so, so quickly that happens. 00:16:03.019 --> 00:16:08.480 That's why it's so, so, so dangerous to fret ourselves when we look around and see other people's situations. 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:11.860 Be mad at what someone else has, what we don't have. 00:16:11.960 --> 00:16:14.720 Because it so, so, so quickly just leads to sin. 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:16.000 Leads to envy. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:17.079 Leads to covetousness. 00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:17.819 It leads to lust. 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:20.919 We could go on and on and on about that. 00:16:22.019 --> 00:16:23.340 So, what are we to do? 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:27.100 We should not be so worried about what the evil have or what we do not have. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:30.319 And put our confidence in the Lord rather than in our current circumstances. 00:16:30.699 --> 00:16:32.079 Grab your bulletin for a minute. 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:47.319 On there you'll find a quote by John Calvin which is about this text. 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:49.899 Specifically verses 16 and 17. 00:16:50.779 --> 00:16:56.699 Where the Lord's reminding us that the righteous are better off with little in this life than the wicked with great things. 00:16:57.179 --> 00:16:59.480 Here is eventually the arms of the wicked will be broken. 00:16:59.659 --> 00:17:00.460 So, let's look at that. 00:17:00.460 --> 00:17:01.600 So, it says, 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:10.120 Unless we are persuaded by faith that God cherishes us in his bosom as a father does his children, our poverty will always be a source of trouble to us. 00:17:10.860 --> 00:17:19.019 On the other hand, unless we bear in mind what is here said concerning the wicked that their arms shall be broken, we'll make too great account of their present condition. 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:29.740 In other words, if we are lacking in eternal perspective, what others have and what we do not have will become way too important to us. 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:40.339 If we are forgetting our end and forgetting their end and forgetting what the Lord has done for us, it's going to become way, way, way too important to us. 00:17:40.339 --> 00:17:44.879 So, following that thought out, let's look at our eternal perspective. 00:17:45.679 --> 00:17:49.720 So, this is our fourth reason, is our end is so much greater. 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:54.119 Our end is so much greater. 00:17:54.119 --> 00:18:02.939 So, let's look at the contrast here in verses 35 through 38 of this psalm, Psalm 37. 00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:05.179 It says, 00:18:05.180 --> 00:18:29.259 We can observe here that there is no hope, none at all for the wicked. 00:18:29.380 --> 00:18:30.900 They will be altogether destroyed. 00:18:30.900 --> 00:18:35.019 But it also says, there is a future for the man of peace. 00:18:36.220 --> 00:18:37.259 What is this future? 00:18:37.540 --> 00:18:38.440 It's eternal life. 00:18:38.560 --> 00:18:42.660 The future is knowing God and enjoying him forever, just like we were talking about earlier in the service. 00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:48.060 This is a future that we're experiencing now and that we'll experience in a perfect sense in eternity. 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:53.880 Here in the psalm, it says to mark the blame of some, watch the upright, watch how their life turns out. 00:18:54.360 --> 00:18:56.560 Keep an eye on them, watch to see their awesome future. 00:18:56.740 --> 00:19:00.160 This future of fully knowing and fully enjoying the Lord. 00:19:00.900 --> 00:19:02.780 Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4, 00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:09.440 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. 00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:13.040 As we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. 00:19:13.560 --> 00:19:17.100 For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:19.800 We have such a great future. 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:27.280 Such a great future that the prospering of the wicked here and our suffering cannot even be compared to it. 00:19:27.820 --> 00:19:29.320 Can't be compared at all. 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:31.939 So our end is so much greater. 00:19:32.779 --> 00:19:33.480 So much greater. 00:19:34.139 --> 00:19:36.000 So in light of that, what are we to do? 00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:41.059 Obviously we're not to envy or fear the wicked, but what does that look like? 00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:45.619 There's a lot of commands in the positive here as well. 00:19:45.779 --> 00:19:47.339 Not all negative commands. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:49.720 So this gets into the final point. 00:19:49.939 --> 00:19:51.099 The conclusions of the righteous. 00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:51.980 There's five of these. 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:55.299 So the conclusions of the righteous. 00:19:55.299 --> 00:19:59.460 So like I said, there's a lot of exhortations that are in the positive. 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:02.220 Most of them are found in verses 3 through 7. 00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:07.299 So we'll look at quite a few of those, but we'll look at some others as well. 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:10.740 So the first one comes straight out of verse 3. 00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:13.759 Trust in the Lord and do good. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:16.500 Trust in the Lord and do good. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:18.559 So verse 3 says, 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:20.079 Trust in the Lord and do good. 00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:22.339 Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:24.359 So we're wondering what to do. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:26.240 We can be sure of one thing for sure. 00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:28.559 The Lord wants us to do good and to trust in Him. 00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:33.339 But oftentimes when I start to notice myself being upset about things going on around me, 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:38.539 I lean on a verse that hit me really hard that I quote almost every time that I preach 00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:40.379 or I'm talking to somebody about this kind of thing. 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:42.419 It's 1 Peter 4.19. 00:20:43.639 --> 00:20:44.960 Really big verse about this. 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:50.799 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good. 00:20:51.859 --> 00:20:52.639 Quite the verse. 00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:54.319 I love it for multiple reasons. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:21:00.679 And one reason is it just communicates two truths together really well. 00:21:01.059 --> 00:21:04.899 First one is that all the things going on around us are ordained by the Lord. 00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:05.939 Right? 00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:09.939 We're entrusting ourselves to a faithful creator while doing good, 00:21:10.019 --> 00:21:13.279 but we're suffering according to God's will. 00:21:13.919 --> 00:21:14.200 Right? 00:21:14.339 --> 00:21:17.000 He's in control of all of everything we're going through. 00:21:17.539 --> 00:21:18.500 We can hold on to that. 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:21.819 So everything going on around us is according to His plan. 00:21:21.879 --> 00:21:22.799 He has ordained it. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:25.619 Therefore, we can entrust ourselves to Him. 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:26.240 He is God. 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:27.279 He knows what He's doing. 00:21:27.399 --> 00:21:31.039 He's ordained all the circumstances around us. 00:21:31.879 --> 00:21:32.559 So that's one thing. 00:21:33.220 --> 00:21:36.519 And it also reminds us that this trust is an active trust. 00:21:37.220 --> 00:21:40.559 If we're truly trusting in the Lord, we're going to be doing good. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:43.359 That's our commission. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:45.879 Trust in the Lord and do good. 00:21:46.919 --> 00:21:48.220 Second one, verse 4. 00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:51.200 It says, delight yourself in the Lord. 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:54.000 Delight yourself in the Lord. 00:21:55.299 --> 00:21:59.580 Verse 4 says, delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. 00:22:00.539 --> 00:22:05.880 This is a bold verse that so many people try to take out of context and use it wrongly. 00:22:05.940 --> 00:22:09.160 They've said things like, if you love the Lord, you can have anything you want. 00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:11.180 Obviously, that's off. 00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:13.080 And then they say things that are even more off. 00:22:13.340 --> 00:22:19.440 Like that means a 50,000 square foot house and around here 200 acres and a Z71. 00:22:20.180 --> 00:22:22.540 And that's not what it means. 00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:24.259 Because let's think about it for a minute. 00:22:24.380 --> 00:22:28.980 If those are the desires of our heart, are you really delighting yourself in the Lord? 00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:31.779 Not at all. 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:36.259 If those are the desires of our heart, that's what we're delighting ourselves in, is things of this world. 00:22:37.299 --> 00:22:40.079 So what does delighting ourselves in the Lord really mean? 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:44.500 It means that the Lord is the highest joy we experience. 00:22:45.059 --> 00:22:47.860 Just as that catechism says, what is the chief end of man? 00:22:48.019 --> 00:22:50.920 Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:54.279 If we're seeking to glorify God in all things, we have to enjoy Him. 00:22:54.899 --> 00:22:58.759 As Piper says, God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:03.899 So if we're enjoying the Lord and delighting ourselves in the Lord, what are our desires going to be? 00:23:05.460 --> 00:23:08.660 They're going to be the things to seek to bring Him glory. 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:13.980 Not to bring glory to ourselves like the things that this earth will do. 00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:18.259 And so yes, if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart. 00:23:18.599 --> 00:23:21.460 Because those will be more and more ways to glorify Him. 00:23:21.460 --> 00:23:25.240 So, reason three. 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:28.660 Sorry, conclusion three, not reason three. 00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:29.480 I'm being confused. 00:23:32.380 --> 00:23:33.180 Conclusion three. 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:35.700 Confused myself so much. 00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:37.660 Commit your way to the Lord. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:40.299 We see this in verses five and six. 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:42.019 Read in those, it says, 00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:45.500 Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will act. 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:50.259 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the new day. 00:23:50.259 --> 00:23:50.379 Okay. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:55.519 Committing our way to the Lord is a really similar idea to the New Testament idea of, 00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:58.240 Cast your cares upon the Lord because He cares for us. 00:23:58.940 --> 00:24:04.500 In some older translations, it was translated as, Roll thy way upon the Lord, which I think is really cool. 00:24:05.180 --> 00:24:08.259 It's the idea of rolling a heavy burden onto someone else. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:11.099 And so in this case, rolling our burden to the Lord. 00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:13.759 Casting our cares upon Him because He cares for us. 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:14.900 Very similar idea there. 00:24:14.900 --> 00:24:19.820 So we have to be willing to give up our burden to the Lord and not try to carry it on our own. 00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:22.019 We all know we will fail in that. 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:25.940 So as we trust in Him, He will act. 00:24:26.060 --> 00:24:29.420 He will bring forth our righteousness as light and our justice as the new day. 00:24:30.860 --> 00:24:32.140 Fourth one, fourth conclusion. 00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:34.980 Be still before the Lord. 00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:37.780 Be still before the Lord. 00:24:37.779 --> 00:24:40.599 Verse 7 says, 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:43.180 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:48.220 Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in His way, over the man who carries out evil devices. 00:24:49.899 --> 00:24:51.700 This is so, so, so precious. 00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:56.799 Because we serve an all-powerful, all-knowing, sovereign Lord who loves us, 00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:59.319 we can be still and trust that He will act. 00:25:00.180 --> 00:25:04.960 Slowing down and remembering that our God is God of the universe and He's also our Father. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:08.380 He cares for us and He's in control of everything. 00:25:09.120 --> 00:25:10.100 And so we can be still. 00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:14.620 I'm going to steal a clay quote. 00:25:14.819 --> 00:25:17.180 If you're at community group on Wednesday, you'll have to hear it again. 00:25:18.340 --> 00:25:21.259 Stonewall Jackson, a general in the American Civil War, 00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:24.680 had a really strong belief in the sovereignty of God. 00:25:25.600 --> 00:25:29.900 He was known for being super, super relaxed in battle when all the craziness was going on around. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:31.660 He was known for standing like a stonewall. 00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:32.420 That's how I got his name. 00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:37.380 But he made this comment when people asked him why he's like that. 00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:38.519 He said, 00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:44.240 My religious belief teaches me that I'm just as safe on the battlefield as I am in my bed. 00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:49.000 The Lord has already appointed the day of my death, so I need not worry about that. 00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:55.039 I live my life and prepare myself so I will always be ready to meet my Lord when death does overtake me. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:26:03.759 So we can live our lives with a steady trust in God no matter what craziness is going on around us. 00:26:04.059 --> 00:26:09.519 Because our Lord is in complete control, we can be still and know that He is God. 00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:11.200 Last one. 00:26:12.819 --> 00:26:13.619 Fifth conclusion. 00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:16.460 Remember the Lord's faithfulness. 00:26:17.619 --> 00:26:19.200 Remember the Lord's faithfulness. 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:22.840 I want to look at verses 25 and 26. 00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:25.840 So it says, 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:31.700 I've been young and now I'm old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or His children begging for bread. 00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:35.380 He is ever lending generously and His children become a blessing. 00:26:35.380 --> 00:26:45.500 So often in our battle to keep a good mindset and not to envy or fear others, do we forget so much of what the Lord has done for us. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:49.380 That is so often what our issue is, is we've forgotten things. 00:26:50.260 --> 00:26:57.500 In our scripture reading, we notice how so often the children of Israel are just wandering along and they forget and forget and forget the Lord's faithfulness. 00:26:57.560 --> 00:26:58.860 We do the same thing. 00:26:59.620 --> 00:27:00.740 So true of us. 00:27:00.820 --> 00:27:02.180 We forget that we deserve nothing. 00:27:02.180 --> 00:27:06.799 We forget that the Lord has provided for and will provide for our physical needs. 00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:13.620 And more importantly, we forget over and over and over again that He has provided and is providing for our spiritual needs. 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:18.779 We forget that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus. 00:27:19.820 --> 00:27:24.880 We forget that He who knew no sin became sin so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:28.759 We forget that apart from Christ, we can do nothing good. 00:27:28.759 --> 00:27:41.180 And we forget that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:27:42.099 --> 00:27:43.379 We forget all of that. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:45.039 We throw it out the window. 00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:50.859 And when we forget all of that, we remember how much nicer of a house our neighbor has. 00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:53.359 Or how much newer their truck is. 00:27:53.359 --> 00:27:57.159 Or how the boss appreciates what our co-worker does more than we do. 00:27:59.139 --> 00:28:01.099 Forgetting is so, so dangerous. 00:28:01.699 --> 00:28:04.079 When we forget, we lose so, so much perspective. 00:28:04.699 --> 00:28:06.719 When we forget, we become downcast. 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:09.899 When we become depressed, we become envious of our neighbor. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.500 Or we begin to fear what the wicked will do. 00:28:13.139 --> 00:28:16.579 Because we've forgotten that what happens here doesn't ultimately carry much weight at all. 00:28:18.479 --> 00:28:20.379 Remembering the Lord's faithfulness is so important. 00:28:20.380 --> 00:28:25.220 And it's exactly what we need to do when we're feeling envious, when we're fearful, or when we're downcast. 00:28:25.840 --> 00:28:26.980 Remember the Lord's faithfulness. 00:28:27.600 --> 00:28:38.120 Whenever I think about that concept of remembering what the Lord has done as a way to renew our mindset, I always think of the song, Satisfied in You, which is a loose paraphrase of Psalm 42. 00:28:39.780 --> 00:28:42.000 A section of it that always really hits me. 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:43.340 It says, 00:28:43.339 --> 00:29:01.419 So often, when we are down, we need to get out of our own heads. 00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:07.580 We need to get out of the cycle we have of just remembering things we shouldn't remember. 00:29:08.300 --> 00:29:11.460 And forgetting all of the things that the Lord has done for us. 00:29:11.580 --> 00:29:13.700 We need His Word, and we need His Church. 00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:15.920 To help us remember those better days. 00:29:16.320 --> 00:29:20.900 To help us remember His faithfulness and reminders of what He has done. 00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:24.800 And the reminders of the end of the wicked. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:29.879 And that's what we need to be able to press on. 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:31.980 So let's remember the Lord's faithfulness. 00:29:32.059 --> 00:29:33.220 Let's remember the end of the wicked. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:37.460 Let's remember where He brought us from and what He has promised to bring us to. 00:29:39.619 --> 00:29:44.000 So I'll end with a quote from Matthew Henry, and then we will pray. 00:29:45.139 --> 00:29:45.539 It says, 00:29:45.539 --> 00:30:15.539 00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:19.920 Let's pray. 00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:19.920