Psalm 37 Meek Shall Inherit (I) Deek Kidner states that there is no finer exposition of the third Beatitude (Matt. 5:5: “blessed are the meek”) than this psalm, from which the beatitude is drawn (v. 11). It is a wisdom psalm and thus a Psalm of Orientation. Unlike the many praise psalms, it speaks to man, not God, and its tone and style have affinities with Proverbs, whose message of the righteous man’s security is its central topic. This psalm shares the wisdom of an old man who had walked with the Lord (v. 25). He had battled with evil men and knew the frustration of seeing the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. As he reviewed the past, he gave some wise counsel to keep us from fretting against the Lord when things are not going the way we want them to go. “Trust in the Lord” (v. 3). If you walk by sight and not by faith, you will find it easy to fret. See Psalm 73. The wicked seem to be prospering, but they will not last (Ps. 37:35–36). Believe what God says in His Word because that is where you find reality. “Delight in the LORD” (v. 4). Find all your joy and pleasure in His will. Make Him your delight, and your desires will be according to His will. Living to please the Lord sets you free from fretting about what men are doing. “Commit your way to the Lord” (v. 5). When you trust Him and delight in Him, how could you do anything other than commit your way to Him? Let God guide your steps, choose your joys, protect your name, and bless your work. “Be still before the LORD” (v. 7). Restlessness is an evidence of unbelief. Faith rests in the Lord and enjoys “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). “In the Hebrew this means: ‘Be silent to God and let Him mold thee.’ Keep still and He will mold thee to the right shape” (Martin Luther). God sometimes waits in answering prayer so that He might strengthen our patience (Jas. 1:2–8). “Wait on the Lord” (v. 34). For what are you waiting? You are waiting for the inheritance God has for you (vv. 11, 18, 22, 29, 34). It is reserved in heaven just for you (1 Pet. 1:3–5). The wicked have only temporary pleasure on earth, but God’s people have eternal treasure in heaven. You will one day receive your inheritance, so be patient. There is much more in this psalm, so continue to meditate on it (Ps. 1:2). We will look again at more of its wisdom.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 13:44:44 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015