The Need For Patience In the Lord

INTRO

Psalm 37 is one of my favorite psalms. Our phrase for the book of Psalms is the King of Glory, which is a picture of God taking on human flesh and carrying the glory of God here on earth. Psalm 37 is a wisdom psalm and was written as an acrostic.¹ Wiersbe suggests David wrote this psalm while he was preparing Solomon to take his place as king (1 King 2:1–3).²

Nelson’s Commentary says the psalm’s “simple message is to maintain patience in the midst of troubles.”³ This fits with the key message of the Psalms of God and Israel, and their relationship. If Israel can maintain patience with all that is going on around them, then God can begin to reveal how He wants to show Himself in His covenant with them. Wiersbe explains that since God owns the land they were on, they would be allowed to live on it if they were obedient. “If Israel disobeyed the Lord, He would first chasten them in the land (invasion, drought, famine), but if they continued to rebel, He would then take them out of the land (captivity).”⁴ God was asking them to trust Him. This is a powerful picture of God’s covenant with Israel. Nelson’s Commentary outlines the psalm with these divisions: “(1) the need for patience in light of the apparent success of the wicked (vv. 1–11); (2) the need for patience in light of the final judgment of the wicked (vv. 12–22); (3) encouragement for the righteous in view of the role of the wicked (vv. 23–33); and (4) a renewed call for patience in view of the apparent success of the wicked (vv. 34–40).”⁵

TEACHING

Psalm 37:1-11: They were not to fret or worry about evildoers who prospered (v. 1). “Do not be agitated” can also be understood as do not fret. “The psalmist calls for patience, a renewed sense of dependence upon the Lord, and a renewed sense of pleasure in knowing Him.”⁶ The wicked may prosper in the short-term, but they will quickly wither and die (v. 2). Therefore, the psalmist said they were to trust in God, do what was right, and live securely in God’s land (v. 3). This is faith in action, not a picture of salvation. They were to delight in the Lord, and then He would give them what was most important (v. 4). Nelson’s Commentary explains, “When the righteous have desires that spring from the Lord, the Lord will surely fulfill those desires.”⁷ (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

Verse 5 says to “commit” or “to roll it over on” the Lord.⁸ That means we give over everything to the Lord to handle (1 Peter 5:7). After commitment comes trust in God. God acts to support our righteousness (v. 6). The psalmist said to be still before Him and to wait expectantly (v. 7). Furthermore, they were to refrain from anger and not fret (v. 8), because the evildoers would be destroyed, and the people of God would inherit the land (v. 9). Think about the context of these verses if David was preparing Solomon to take over his throne in verses 10–11: the wicked will perish, but the humble will inherit the land of God. Jesus quoted this verse (Matthew 5:5).

Wiersbe explains, “‘Inherit the land’ refers to the security of future generations in the Land of Promise, according to God’s covenant, for God had a great work for His righteous remnant to do in that land, culminating in the coming of Messiah.”⁹ (Genesis 12:1–3; 13:14–18; 15:7–21). Psalm 37 is a prophetic picture of the role of the land when the Messiah returns. The wicked will be cut off (vv. 9, 22, 28, 34, 38).

Psalm 37:12–21: The actions of the wicked were so outrageous God laughed at them (vv. 12–13). The wicked used violence against the upright to get what they wanted, and they would perish in the same way when they turned against each other (vv. 14–15). The arms of the wicked would be broken, while God supported the righteous (vv. 16–19). God knows everything and watches over. “(1) God knows our circumstances and provides for us; (2) God knows how long we will live and will sustain us to the end; (3) God knows that our days on earth are only the beginning of our days with Him in eternity.”¹⁰ The wicked will perish and the righteous will prosper (vv. 20–21).

Psalm 37:22–23: Those whom God blessed would inherit the land, and those whom God cursed would be destroyed (v. 22). Verse 23 is the reality of verse 4: Take delight in God, and He will establish our steps.

Psalm 37:24–40: God orders our way and keeps us from stumbling (v. 24). Throughout his life, the psalmist had seen God’s generous provision for the righteous (vv. 25–26). Therefore, God’s people should turn away from evil and dwell in God’s land forever (vv. 27–29). They were to hold onto the Word of God (vv. 30–31) and the Lord would judge the wicked (vv. 32–33). They were to wait for the Lord, and He would give them the land (v. 34).

CLOSING

If this psalm really was for Solomon, he forgot much of it. In his reign, Solomon split the land by allowing the worship of idols to come into the land through his marriages to pagan women. As we walk out God’s teachings, we can be assured that God is preparing us for more, all for His glory.