All right, well, I know I said we were going to be back in John, and we will be, but for today, just today, I had it on my heart to speak on something a little different.
So if you have your Bible with you, please open it up to Psalm chapter 37.
Psalm chapter 37. If you didn't bring a Bible, you can find one in front of you in the seat there.
We've got some pew Bibles, and there won't be any slides or it won't be on the screen this morning, so hopefully you can follow along.
I'm going to read the first 11 verses, Psalm 37 of David.
Do not fret because of those who are evil, or be envious of those who do wrong.
For like the grass, they will soon wither. Like green plants, they will soon die away.
Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight 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 righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him.
Do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger, and turn from wrath.
Do not fret. It leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed, 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.
But the meek will inherit the land, and enjoy peace and prosperity.
These are the words of David.
Not David the youngster, but David when he was old.
In verse 25, he says,
I was young, and now I am old.
And so he is speaking out of not just an idyllic view of the world,
but out of personal experience.
He is speaking about what do we do when we look around,
and in our country, and in our world,
we see the wicked, those who don't give a rip about God,
having their way, prospering, succeeding, flourishing.
What do we do in times like that?
And David speaks from experience.
He has lived through those kinds of situations.
You'll remember his days on the run,
when King Saul was in power,
hunting him,
trying to take him out,
spreading lies about him.
You'll remember the days when David,
even though he had been a king for quite a while,
was chased off his own throne by his son,
and had to flee for his life.
David knows very well what it's like to live in days
when the wicked,
those who do not care about God and his ways,
are flourishing, are prospering, are succeeding.
So these are his words of advice to us.
These are really God's words through David to us.
And this is what David says.
In times like those,
do not fret because of those who are evil,
or be envious of those who do wrong.
Down in verse 7 again,
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
There's a couple words I just want to highlight there.
Evil and wicked.
When we hear those words,
we tend to think of especially bad,
like very bad,
like the Hitlers.
But in the Old Testament,
in the wisdom writings,
it doesn't have that same sense.
Wicked generally refers to those who do wrong
as just the general pattern of life.
Those who don't care about God or fear him,
who are living to please themselves,
who they maybe know what God commands and requires,
but no, I'm not going to live like that.
I'm going to do what I want to do.
So don't think only the Hitlers,
only the worst of tyrants.
David is speaking about more than just those people.
Generally, it's those who do wrong in verse 1.
It's those who,
he mentions quite a few things that they do in this.
The worst of them, verse 14,
they draw the sword and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy.
He mentions how they gnash their teeth at the righteous.
They speak what is evil.
They say things that are hurtful and damaging
and all kinds of things.
In the Old Testament writings,
there's kind of these two categories
that are often represented,
the wicked and the righteous.
It's not the especially bad and the especially good.
It's really just those who fear God
and by faith are seeking to obey Him
and those who don't fear God
and are going their own way
and doing what displeases Him.
So that's who David is talking about.
And what does he say?
In verse 1, he says,
Do not fret because of them.
Do not be envious of those who do wrong.
Now, I know when I look around
and I see people doing things that are wrong,
I don't envy them in the sense that
I want to do what they're doing,
but I might be tempted to envy
how they seem to be able to do those things
with freedom
and seem to be able to just get away with it.
And wouldn't it be nice if I was in that position
where I could do what I thought was right
and I wouldn't feel that people are saying,
stop talking about that.
Stop doing that.
Do not fret.
Do not be envious of those who do wrong.
Why?
He gives us a reason in verse 2.
He says,
For like the grass,
they will soon wither.
Like green plants,
they will soon die away.
So think back to earlier this year
in your yard.
We had that nice rain
that came in the spring
and then what happened?
The grass was green
and then it got less green
and less green
and before you know it,
it was burnt to a crisp
in some of your yards.
Yellow.
Crunchy.
Dead.
That's the picture here.
Don't worry.
Don't fret.
Don't be anxious
because of those who are evil,
those who do wrong.
Why?
Because like the grass,
withered and died
in our yards
this summer,
that's going to be their fate.
They may seem to be flourishing
and prospering right now
as we look around the world,
as we look at people
in positions of power
in our nation,
but it's not going to last long.
It's very temporary.
So what do we do
in these kind of situations?
And I want to make this practical.
I mean,
David had people
that he had in mind
when he wrote this
in his day,
but who are these people
in our day?
I'm not going to name
any names,
but I think that
we have all been tempted
in the past year,
have we not?
To fret?
To be frustrated?
Even angry?
As we look around
in our country
and in our world
and we see the things
that are going on
and we see people
pushing agendas
that are not good,
not right,
unjust,
and we see those people
who we believe
are standing up
for what is good
and what is right,
we see them being silenced
and pushed aside.
Very easily,
we could look out
at our world today
and conclude
that those who don't
give a rip about God
are flourishing
and prospering.
They're having their way,
they're having their day.
What do we do
in situations
like we're in right now
in our world
when this is the norm?
David has a number
of instructions,
a number of encouragements,
advice.
Verse 3,
trust in the Lord
and do good.
Trust in Yahweh,
the Creator.
Have confidence
in Him
in the midst
of this world
and its situation.
Is your confidence
in Him?
Do good.
Carry on doing
what is right
and what is good,
even if it's unpopular.
Dwell in the land,
he says,
and enjoy safe pasture.
Let's remember
that this was written
to Israel
back in the day.
I don't know about you,
but in some of the days
where some of those things
were going on,
the temptation
might have been there.
Man,
I got to get out of here.
This is not good.
Maybe go down to Egypt.
I don't know.
The grass is always greener
on the other side.
Don't run away from it,
he says.
Dwell in the land.
Stay there.
Trust in the Lord.
Do good
and keep doing it.
And then he says this
in verse 4.
Take delight
in the Lord.
I have to admit,
this is one of the
strangest things.
This is the thing
that he says
and tells us to do
that I did not expect
to come.
When people
are prospering
and flourishing
who don't give a rip
about God
and they're having
their way,
they're having success,
what's the antidote
to getting frustrated
and worried
about all that
and angry
about all that?
David says,
delight yourself
in the Lord.
Take delight
in the Lord.
Maybe there's
a little part of you
that's hearing that
and saying,
don't tell me
how to feel
about what's going on.
But I've got
some news for you.
This is not
the first time
or the only time
that God actually
commands us
about how to feel.
There are many times
in his word
and yes,
feelings are a response
to what's going on,
what's happening,
but at the same time,
yes,
we are responsible
for how we respond.
We are charged
to manage
what goes on
in our hearts.
Fear not.
Do not worry.
Do not be anxious.
Do not fret.
Trust
and hear.
Take delight
in the Lord.
If there's
nothing else
you hear this morning,
may you hear this.
The antidote
to frustration
and anger
and worry
in times
like we're living in
is this.
Take delight
in the Lord.
Think about that.
What does that mean?
It means you've got
to get your eyes
onto
Him.
What is delightful
about Him?
What has He done
that is delightful?
What has He said
that's delightful?
What about Him
is wonderful
and glorious
and beautiful
and delightful?
Get your eyes
on that.
and maybe
a little bit
off of the stuff
that is going on
in our world.
And there's a promise
that comes with that.
David says
if you do that
He will give you
the desires
of your heart.
Now some people
see here
a promise
that if you delight
yourself in the Lord
He'll give you
whatever you want.
That's not what
David is saying.
He's saying
delight yourself
in the Lord
turn your heart
towards Him
and He will give you
the desires
of your heart.
Talking about
things like joy
peace
true joy
true peace
He will meet
the longings
of your soul
that He created
you to have
that are good
that are right.
That's quite a promise.
verse 5
he goes on
he says
commit your way
to the Lord.
What does it mean
to commit your way
to the Lord?
My mind goes
to the story
of Hezekiah
enemy army
knocking on
the doorstep
over a hundred
thousand troops
ready to barge
down
and sends a letter
to Hezekiah
saying we're going
to rip you guys
to shreds
if you don't
surrender.
We did the same
to all the other
countries
and their gods
were not able
to save
from my hand
said Sennacherib
and your God
will be no different.
So what did Hezekiah do?
He took the letter
and he went
into the temple
of the Lord
and laid it out
before him
and he said
God
look at this
hear what he said
this is my situation
have mercy on us
and act
and intervene
to save us.
That's what it means
to commit your way
to the Lord.
It just means
to bring
your situation
to Him
and trust it
to His care.
We need to do that
actively
with what's going on
in our world today
to bring that
to God's care
to ask for Him
to intervene.
That's what
Thursday night
prayer meetings
are for.
Commit your way
to the Lord
trust in Him
and He will do this.
He will make
your righteous reward
shine like the dawn
your vindication
like the noonday sun.
Wow.
There's a lot there.
There's enough there
to meditate on
and pray about
for hours.
I don't even have time
to unpack it all
this morning.
but there will
come a day
when the people
of God
who lived
for the Lord
and did what
was right
everything that
they have done
will be the thing
that people see
the most.
Their reward
will shine
like the noonday sun.
Right now
it may look
dark in our world.
That's all we see.
We look at the news.
We look at social media.
We look at Facebook.
But there's coming a day
when that will not be
the main thing
that people see.
That will fade away
like the night
fades away.
And what we instead see
is what God
is doing
with His people.
The people that
persevered through that
did what is good
did what is right
even when it was hard.
That will be
the most visible thing.
But
we might think
to ourselves
so I just follow
these instructions
do not fret
trust
take delight
commit my way
to the Lord
and everything's
going to be better
right?
Is that the promise?
Verse 7
Be still
before the Lord
and wait
patiently
for Him.
It's not an
overnight thing.
This is not a guarantee
that if we just
commit our ways
to the Lord
He'll just fix
our problem
or our situation
instantly.
David says
be still
wait patiently
there is need
for patience
and this is hard.
it means
that we will
continue to live
in days
when the wicked
prosper and
flourish
sometimes
before God's
intervention
comes
before God's
vindication
arrives.
Verse 7
continuing on
Do not fret
when people
succeed in their
ways
when they carry
out their
wicked schemes
refrain from
anger
and turn
from wrath
do not
fret
it leads
only
to evil.
These are
really the words
that caught
my attention
to this psalm
the most
when I first
was reading
this.
Three times
David says
do not
fret
back up in
verse 1
in verse 7
and then again
in verse 8
do not fret
look at the
way our
world is
when people
who don't
give a rip
about God
are having
their day
and do not
get bent
out of shape
about that
don't be
anxious and
upset and
frustrated and
angry about
that says
David
and he gives
us some
reasons why
verse 8
it leads
only to
evil.
I had to
really think
about this
not just
that it
doesn't do
us any
good to
worry or
fret
but it
actually
leads only
to evil.
It leads
to us
when we
let that
fester in
our hearts
it leads
to us
saying
and doing
things
that
displease
and dishonor
God.
he gives
a second
reason
verse 9
for those
who are
evil
will be
destroyed
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
but the
meek
will inherit
the land
and enjoy
peace
and
prosperity
why
shouldn't
we fret
why
shouldn't
we get
upset
why
shouldn't
we be
angry
when we
look at
what people
are doing
in our
world
today
this is
the big
reason
David
gives
those
who are
evil
will be
destroyed
and it
will happen
in just
a little
while
God
has allowed
them for
a time
to have
their
day
to prosper
to flourish
in a
sense
but this
will not
last
long
God's
not going
to let
them get
away
with it
their time
is coming
in verse
12
the wicked
may plot
against the
righteous
they may
gnash
their teeth
at them
but the
Lord
laughs at
the wicked
for he
knows
their day
is coming
and I
don't
think
this is
a
laughter
in the
sense
that he
thinks
it's
funny
that they're
wicked
it's more
of a
laughter
in the
sense
that
they
think
they
are
going
to
get
away
with it
and God
knows
so beyond
a shadow
of a
doubt
that that
is not
that's not
how it
will be
that it's
almost as if
it's funny
to him
no
you will
not
get away
with it
their day
is coming
now
we think
of those
people in
our world
and we
don't want
them to
be destroyed
we want
them to
turn to
the Lord
and to
be saved
but this
is sometimes
I think
the reminder
we need
that God
will bring
justice
in this
world
he will
do what
is right
and undo
the plans
the schemes
that wicked
people have
been carrying
out
generation
to generation
he will
bring a
fitting resolve
to those
things
they will
not get
away with
it
in a
little
while
in a
little
while
the
good
news
and the
promise
is that
the
righteous
those
who
hope
in the
Lord
will
inherit
the
land
in
verse
11
the
meek
or the
humble
we might
say
will
inherit
the
land
and
enjoy
peace
and
prosperity
those
who
belong
to
God
those
who
have
put
their
faith
in
Jesus
and
are
seeking
to
obey
him
from
the
heart
even
when
it's
difficult
they
are
the
ones
who
will
inherit
the
land
that
was
true
in
the
days
of
Israel
as
a
general
principle
but
that's
the
truth
of
the
big
story
of
God
there's
coming
a
day
when
he's
going
to
make
everything
new
heavens
earth
who
will
inherit
that
place
and
live
in
that
place
the
righteous
the
meek
the
humble
those
who
delight
in
the
Lord
and
I
love
what
it
says
in
verse
10
it
says
a
little
while
and
the
wicked
will
be
no
more
though
you
look
for
them
they
will
not
be
found
imagine
that
in
our
day
it
seems
hard
to
see
anything
but
the
wicked
and
what
they're
doing
what
they're
getting
away
with
it
seems
but
there's
coming
a
day
when
you
will
look
for
people
like
that
people
that
lack
integrity
that
are
doing
schemes
and
plans
on
the
side
that
are
canceling
people
and
saying
things
that
are
not
true
about
people
you'll
look
for
people
like
that
but
you
won't
find
because
they'll
be
gone
the
wicked
will
be
destroyed
and
all
that
will
remain
are
the
people
of
God
to
live
with
him
forever
in
his
kingdom
in
peace
in
prosperity
verse
23
let's
skip
down
to
there
again
the
Lord
makes
firm
the
steps
of
the
one
who
delights
in
him
though
he
may
stumble
he
will
not
fall
for
the
Lord
upholds
him
with
his
hand
that
delighting
is
so
important
the
one
who
delights
himself
in
the
Lord
this
is
the
Lord's
promise
not
that
we
won't
go
through
difficulty
not
that
we
won't
trip
and
stumble
at
times
but
that
even
though
we
may
stumble
we
will
not
fall
his
hand
will
be
there
to
support
us
and
to
carry
us
through
all
of
that
what
a
wonderful
promise
verse
34
much
of
what's
in
this
psalm
is
the
same
thing
the
same
encouragements
said in
different
ways
but I
want to
just
read this
verse
here
in
verse
34
hope
in
the
Lord
and
keep
his
way
he
will
exalt
you
to
inherit
the
land
when
the
wicked
are
destroyed
you
will
see
it
we
live in
tough
times
we
just
saw
the
results
of
the
election
disappointing
easy
maybe
to get
frustrated
be
angry
wonder
about
different
possibilities
that could
have
happened
instead
that would
make
things
better
most
of us
have
probably
heard
about
or
read
about
people
in
various
parties
getting
sidelined
and pushed
out
because
some
of them
believe
in
the
values
that are
in
God's
word
David's
message
to us
is
don't
worry
about
that
don't
fret
about
it
put
your
trust
in
the
Lord
he
will
take
care
of
it
and
one
day
those
who
are
wicked
will
be
destroyed
and
you
will
see
it
that
day
is
coming
be
still
and
wait
patiently
for
it
we
may
think
of
the
COVID
situation
feels
like
it's
been
forever
since
all
of
this
came
into
our
attention
I
don't
know
what
the
actual
months
is
but
it's
getting
on
towards
two
years
now
a lot
of
frustration
a lot
of
worry
a lot
of
upsetness
about
the
things
that
are
going
on
and
the
various
ways
this
has
become
politicized
and
so
and
so
is
over
here
is
trying
to
further
their
agenda
through
all
of
this
and
oh
man
let me
encourage
you
with
the
words
that
David
gives
don't
fret
about
it
don't
worry
about
it
commit
that
stuff
to
the
Lord
keep
trusting
in
the
Lord
and
keep
doing
good
the
Lord's
going
to
put
it
all
right
very
soon
when
he
returns
I
want
to
end
this
morning
just
with
a
time
of
prayer
and
actually
do
that
together
as a
church
so
join
me
let's
pray
Lord
it's
amazing
how
you
can
speak
to
us
thousands
of
years
before
we
even
go
through
what
we're
going
through
and
what
you
say
is
so
timely
it's
just
what
we
need
to
hear
and
we
confess
and
we
admit
that
we
have
been
frustrated
we
have
been
angry
even
at
times
we
have
been
worrying
and
fretting
please
forgive
us
please
help
us
to
trust
you
completely
to
wait
patiently
let
us
know
your
presence
with
us
in
these
days
fill
our
hearts
with
peace
show
us
more
of
who
you
are
give
us
those
reasons
to
delight
draw
our
attention
to
yourself
we
long
for
that
joy
that
David
talks
about
here
help
us
to
fix
our
hope
firmly
on
what
you
have
said
is
the
end
of
the
story
Lord
and
we
just
acknowledge
and
confess
to
you
that
if
we
get
to
share
in
that
it's
only
because
of
what
Jesus
has
done
for
us
it's
not
because
we're
righteous
in
ourselves
it's
because
you
have
made
us
righteous
through
him
we
give
you
praise
and
glory
for
that
wonderful
gift
in
his
name
amen