Path of Life PSALM 37. Stay on the Path ~ Did you know ~

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1 Path of Life PSALM 37 Stay on the Path ~ Winning isn t everything in life; finishing the race well is what matters. Applause, awards, and achievements are enjoyable for the moment, but can be fleeting. Going the distance with the eternal prize in focus not only increases our faith, it develops character, perseverance, and a passion for life. President Woodrow Wilson once said, I had rather temporarily fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed, than temporarily succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail. In Psalm 37, David stresses, what is important is not an effort or a cause that begins well, but rather one that ends well. Life is a work in progress. What helps us through crisis circumstances is to learn to take a long look, before drawing conclusions. Appearances can be deceiving; often things are not really what they seem. No matter what s going on around you, be assured that God is at work behind the scenes, orchestrating events and people to accomplish His purpose and will. No one likes to see the wicked prosper, but that is often what happens; at the expense of the righteous. When the ungodly prosper, the godly suffer, prompting the question, Where is God? In this psalm, David exhorts the believer not to become frustrated, but to be steadfastly focused on the Lord. Interestingly, this psalm is not modeled as a prayer to God, but is directed to the reader. The believer is challenged to place his trust and faith in a loving, heavenly Father, not to worry about the wicked. Their fate rests in God s ultimate judgment. Did you know ~ Psalm 37 is an acrostic, in which every other verse begins with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a wisdom psalm, similar in style to what we see in the book of Proverbs. The contrast between the godly and ungodly is explored in depth, along with an exhortation to trust in the Lord. Wisdom is critical to the believer; it is the ability to apply knowledge correctly, in a manner that is pleasing to God. Wisdom instructs the believer to place God at the center of everything all of life s choices, decisions, and pursuits. 1

2 Psalms 37:1-2 Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 1. What two commands does David give us in the first verse? 2. What is it about the actions of evildoers that can cause the believer to fret? 3. Why is it foolish to envy those who practice iniquity? Psalms 37:3-6 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 1. What seven commands are given in these verses? 2. What is the connection between trusting the Lord and doing good? 3. What promises are connected to the commands found in these verses? 2

3 Discussion questions What does it mean to delight ourselves in the Lord? What is the connection between delighting in the Lord and the desires of the heart? How do we commit our ways to the Lord? Psalms 37:7-8 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret it only causes harm. 1. What five commands are we given in the verses? 2. Which command is repeated? 3. How many times in this psalm are we exhorted not to worry or fret? 3

4 Discussion questions Why is fretting or worrying about things a useless waste of time? What are the benefits of resting in the Lord? How do we rest in the Lord when things around us are causing us to fret and worry? Psalms 37:9-15 For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 1. Much of this psalm is a contrast between the wicked and the righteous. List the things David tells us about the wicked. 2. List the things David tells us about the righteous. 4

5 Discussion question Jesus referred to this psalm when he declared that the meek would inherit the earth. Define meekness, then explain how the meek, not the self- promoting, will actually receive things from God. Psalms 37:16 A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. Discussion question Memorize Psalm 37:16; take time this week to meditate upon it and share the things you have learned from it. Psalms 37:17-20 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. 1. Contrast what David tells us about he wicked and the righteous 2. What do you notice about the longevity of the righteous and the temporary span of the wicked? 5

6 3. How does the Lord uphold the righteous? Psalms 37:21-26 The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed. 1. List the differences between the wicked and the righteous. 2. If the righteous shows mercy and gives, how are you demonstrating your righteousness? 3. What two benefits does David declare to be true of those whose steps are ordered by he Lord? Discussion questions What does it mean to have your steps ordered by the Lord? 6

7 Notice how righteousness affects the coming generations. In what ways are you living to impact your children, and children's children, for the kingdom of heaven? Psalms 37:27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore. Discussion question Sometimes we establish our righteousness solely based upon what we don't do, rather than what we practice. Why is important to both forsake evil and do what is good? How are you doing that? Psalms 37:28-33 For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. 1. From these verses, make another list of the things the righteous do. 2. What do the righteous use their tongues for? 7

8 Discussion question James said the tongue is unlike any other spring, for both good and bad comes from it (James 3:8-11). What are some of the things we should avoid using our tongues for? What should be coming from our lips? Psalms 37:34-40 Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together, the future of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him. 1. What condition do we need to meet to receive the promise found in 27:34? 2. What does it mean to wait on the Lord? 8

9 3. What is the final promise in this psalm? 4. How are you demonstrating that you trust God, in the midst of your current life situations? Discussion question This psalm emphasizes the brevity of life. Both the wicked and the righteous will pass. How will keeping eternity in mind help us make good and godly decisions? Slippery Slope Psalms 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. I am a sports fan. I enjoy watching a variety of athletics, and am always fascinated when an athlete achieves victory, almost effortlessly. No matter what the opponents do, they are unable to stop him. Over the years I have come to understand that those who seem to win with the least effort, are really the ones who have put in the most effort. They are the ones who are first in the gym, and last out. Their diets, workouts, sleep patterns, even off days, are regimented so as to keep them in the best possible condition for victory. The same is true of the child of God. If we want to have success in our walk with the Lord, we need to be willing to invest time with the Lord. David gives the secret to success for the righteous: The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. 9

10 Sometimes, walking with the Lord is like traversing a narrow mountain path with loose rock, over a sheer cliff. Sliding steps is a picture of falling into sin, and away from the Lord. It is all too common an occurrence to hear that our church friend has lost his way and fallen into one sin or another. The secret to avoiding the fall is: The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. We have all been in church and heard the testimony of someone who is serving the Lord. They talk of the great things God is doing in and through their lives. They share about people coming to Christ, and growing in Christ. We look on with envy, wondering how it is possible that the Lord is using them so mightily, while we are struggling just to get by. The secret of their success is: The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. We read of the great men and women in Scripture, who overcame great obstacles, and achieved great victory in the fight of faith. They are the champions of Christianity, the heroes of Faith, the ones we long to meet in eternity and hear their stories first hand. They are the ones who conquered giants, knocked down walls, walked on water, led revivals, started churches and won the lost to Christ. The secret behind their success was: The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. If we want to be one who overcomes the struggles with the flesh, impacts the world for the kingdom of Heaven, and leaves an example behind that others can follow, the secret is: The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. Let s be sure to take the time to get the Law of God in our hearts. Go to and join us as we read through the Bible. You will find a reading schedule, chapter questions, and a daily devotional to help you get: The law of his God is in (your) heart; none of (your) steps shall slide. Pastor Jim 10

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