Tag: Psalm 37

The ultimate contrast presented in the psalm is repeated again at the end. The blameless, upright, and peacemaker has an eternal future. The sinners and wicked will be cut off. I am told to observe the upright. Who are the upright? The autistic child sitting alone in the school cafeteria is righteous. The small girl […]

David, the author of the psalm repeats the theme concerning the wicked and ruthless sure to perminate end. He states that he has personally witnessed an example in his life. He knew an evil man who had everything most people desire to have; wealth, power, success, health, fame, and even some admiration. He flourished like […]

The promise is made, “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.” Believing this from my heart is of great importance. I will see the day of judgment fulfilled with my own eyes. Do I believe it […]

The wind hurls snow and unearthly low howls at a thin wall charging me to stay under the protection of a comforter. Hallo whines forewarning, “He lies in wait near the village; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victim. He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies […]

Jesus told his disciples after he rose from the dead to spread the good news to the ends of the earth. They did though all of them were threatened to the point of death often. Their mouths uttered wisdom though persecuted. Their tongues spoke justice though their bodies ached. They loved Jesus and his words. […]

The direction toward truth is often repeated in the Bible as presented in these two verses. (Psalm 34:14, 102:28; Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5) A word for turn away from evil, do what is good is repent. The gospel includes the need to feel remorse, contrition, and self-reproach for what one has done or failed to […]

Fear of an unknown future drives people to do things that they will later regret and be ashamed of. Yet, fear of an unknown future is not the root of the problem. Fear of the unknown future is because people do not believe in the one and only God who they chose not to know […]

A long-time best-selling fictitious book “The Pilgrim’s Progress (from This World to That Which Is to Come)” by John Bunyan was published in 1678. It tells the journey of a man named Christian who makes his way to a pivotal decision before Jesus on the cross part way through his journey. Christian leaves his heavy […]

How do I use that which the Lord is giving me? How do I interact with others with that which the Lord gave me? Am I honest? Do I make agreements with no intent in keeping them? Do I borrow and not repay? Do I take from others for selfish reasons? Do I give generously? […]

Perfect, in general meaning “lacking nothing essentially to the whole” and perfection, in general meaning “the quality or condition of being perfect”. These are what the righteous (12, 14, 16, 25, 29, 30, 32, 39) are portrayed as in verse 18. The Lord God Almighty paints the image of the righteous with paint and brush […]

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts,” declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8-9) This would be true for many, perhaps even myself when reading verses 16 and 17. […]

Several particulars about the wicked and righteous are presented in 14 and 15. The wicked are violent and militant. They intend to kill and destroy. Their heart lashes out against the poor and needy. They have little compassion beyond themselves. Their ultimate solution is to slaughter those whose way is upright. Yet, the weapons of […]

The Lord God cursed the serpent saying, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15) “Enmity” in Hebrew is “eba” (a transliteration). It means hostility and hatred. A continual spiritual battle is going on. […]

The contrast between the wicked and the righteous continues in these two verses. The end to the wicked is stated with certainty. That they will be no more is an absolute promise. They will vanish like the fog on an early fall morning, like the stars at dawn. Not even a trace of the wicked […]

The ability to calmly await an outcome or a result is considered a virtue. Bearing and enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, and annoyance with calmness are said to be Christ-like. Forbearance is a skill to be learned. That is why it is so rare. Impatience and defiance are easy. Anyone can portray those. However, being patient […]

Worrying about the future of self is common to the human race. Trusting that the Lord God will act on the person who trusts in him is not. Worrying is in my nature. Trusting that I will not be taken care of is not in my nature. This truth about human nature causes the soul […]

If you do these things, then this will happen. This is what these verses seem to say. Is this the recipe for a reciprocating correlational relationship? Or the results of life choices because that is how God made the world to exist? I am told to do two things in these two verses. First, Trust […]

Psalm 37, an alphabetic acrostic (with irregularity) is an instruction in godly living. The dominant theme is who will rise from the dead to inherit the land, the wicked or the righteous. The answer is found in the contrasting beginning and ending, 1-2 and 39-40. Verses 1-2 speak of the brevity of the evil whereas […]