Psalm 37 – Day 1
"Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed."– Psalm 37:34 NLT
It's hard not to worry about the wicked. They're all around us. Many of them are in positions of power and influence in our country. Others are considered celebrities and stars. They write books, have their own TV shows, create music, art and define what is in when it comes to everything from clothing to hair styles. The wicked come in all shapes and sizes, and their wickedness is not always readily apparent or easily recognized. They seem to be living lives marked by success, happiness, affluence and popularity. So it's sometimes easy to envy them or to desire to be like them. But David tells us not to worry about the wicked or envy them, because their days are numbered. Yet we often find ourselves getting angry over the apparent lack of justice when it comes to some of these people. They prosper in spite of their lifestyles that are marked more by sin than anything else. David reminds us that "it is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich" (Psalm 37:16 NLT). To drive the point home, David provides us with a running contrast between the wicked and the godly. He paints a clear and powerful picture of the stark difference between these two lifestyles.
The wicked will soon fade. But the godly will find shelter in Him. The wicked will soon wither. But the godly will never slip from His path. The wicked will be destroyed. But the godly will be rescued by God. The wicked will disappear. But the godly will trust in the Lord and do good. The wicked will be gone. But the godly will never fall. The wicked plot against the godly. But God will take care of the godly because they are innocent. The wicked snarl at them in defiance. But God will expose the justice of the cause of the godly. The wicked draw their swords and string their bows. But God is the fortress of the godly. The wicked kill the poor and oppressed. But the godly live in peace and prosperity. The wicked slaughter those who do right. But the Lord directs the steps of the godly. The strength of the wicked will be shattered. But the godly will be taken care of by God. The wicked will die. But the godly will possess the land. The wicked will disappear like smoke. But the godly will never be abandoned. The wicked borrow and never repay. But the godly give generous loans to others. The children of the wicked will die. But the children of the godly are a blessing. The wicked wait in ambush for the godly. But God will honor the godly by giving them the land. The wicked look for an excuse to kill the godly. But God teaches the godly right from wrong. The wicked will not succeed. But the godly will live safely in the land and prosper. The wicked will be destroyed. But a wonderful future awaits the godly. The will appear to flourish, then are gone. But the godly will not be disgraced in hard times. The wicked have no future. But a wonderful future awaits the godly.
As believers we are to put our hope in God. We are to confidently and faithfully trust the path He has chosen for us to follow and not worry about what might appear to be the unfair advantages of the ungodly. God is a just God and He will deal with them in His own way and in His own time. I can leave them in God's hands and concentrate on honoring Him with my life and trusting Him with my future. He will not let the wicked succeed or the godly be condemned. He has it all under control. So don't worry.
Father, thanks for this timely reminder from the pen of David. The wicked have always been around and they have always given Your people cause for consternation and concern. They appear so happy and so together. They seem to be getting away with their lifestyle of open rebellion to You, but You are not done yet. You are a just and righteous God who will make sure that all things are taken care of rightly and justly. They will not escape Your notice or Your judgment. I can leave them in Your hands and rest in the knowledge that You have me securely in Your loving grasp as well. Amen