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Tag: 37th Psalm

Never seen the righteous forsaken

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Psalms, What’s new?.

How could the psalmist say, “I have never seen the righteous forsaken” in Psalm 37:25?

Psalm 37 is an encouraging passage for those who face trials and tribulations. Despite our present suffering, the psalmist knows that God will reward the righteous and punish the wicked (verses 1–6). This reassuring message allows the righteous to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently wait for him” (verse 7; cf. Psalm 46:10). As we wait for the Lord to deliver us from trouble, we should continue to commit our ways to Him.

In Psalm 37:25, the psalmist expresses a statement of faith and trust in God’s providential care for the righteous: “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread” (ESV). This verse is a reference to the psalmist’s own observations. In all his life, the psalmist had never witnessed an instance when God forsook the righteous. This does not imply that the righteous are exempt from poverty and hardship. Rather, the point is that God will not abandon or leave them to fend for themselves in times of trouble (verse 24; cf. Deuteronomy 31:8 and Hebrews 13:5).

Psalm 37:25, therefore, highlights the psalmist’s confidence that God is faithful and will not abandon the righteous. Again, there’s no promise that the righteous are immune from pain and suffering. Jesus said that God “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). Throughout the Bible, we find many examples of God sending rain on the righteous (Job 2:10; Isaiah 45:7; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 12:7–10). Amidst the turbulent waves of life, God promises to provide and care for the righteous.

While the psalmist’s words that “I have never seen the righteous forsaken” might seem fanciful or out of touch with reality, they are a powerful reminder of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Believers are therefore encouraged to hold on to God’s unchanging hand and trust that He will work all things for good (Romans 8:28).

Rather than viewing the psalmist’s words as a guarantee that the righteous will never face trials and tribulations, we should interpret Psalm 37:25 as an expression of hope and assurance. The psalmist’s personal experiences inform his testimony about God’s unwavering support for the righteous.

In our own lives, we will encounter instances when God’s providential care is evident, and we will have a testimony of our own. However, we must remember that our understanding is limited, and we cannot always fathom the ways that God works. Therefore, it is essential to approach this verse with humility and acknowledge that our understanding is incomplete. Although our experiences may not align with the psalmist’s observations, we can still draw encouragement from his experiences with a faithful God.

Ultimately, Psalm 37:25 invites us to reflect on our own relationship with God and to deepen our trust in Him. It also encourages us to seek righteousness and align ourselves with His will (cf. Matthew 6:33 and Romans 12:2), knowing that He will supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).

As we navigate the highs and lows of life, let us remember the psalmist’s words in Psalm 37:25 and be encouraged by them. When we face obstacles and challenges, we can hold fast to the fact that God will never forsake the righteous. In Him, we have everything that we need.

Steps of a man ordered by the Lord

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Psalms, What’s new?.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord

How are the steps of a man ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23)?

In Psalm 37, David writes that the righteous can trust God to sustain them (Psalm 37:17) and that the inheritance of righteousness will never end (Psalm 37:18). The righteous are given righteousness and salvation from the Lord (Psalm 37:39). It is a psalm that reminds us of God’s faithfulness, and it encourages us that we can trust Him and that He is worthy of our trust. In Psalm 37:23 the psalmist observes that “the steps of a man are ordered by the Lord” (BSB). Earlier in the psalm, David explains that, when we commit our way to the Lord, He will bring about our righteousness. In Psalm 37:23 David proclaims that God orders or directs even the individual steps of the person, and God takes delight in that person.

The term translated as “ordered” or “established” in Psalm 37:23 is from a Hebrew verb that can also mean “to guide, direct, or make reliable.” In other words, the person who has committed his way to God will have his steps made sure by God. He will guard them and ensure that they are solid steps. How encouraging to know that even our small, seemingly inconsequential steps are not too insignificant for God! He loves and cares for us so much that He actually takes pleasure in guiding our steps. When we fall, we won’t fall to destruction because the Lord holds our hand (Psalm 37:24). Because the law of God is in our hearts, our steps or our path won’t be slippery (Psalm 37:31). What an incredible truth to know that God is right there, ready to establish our walk if we will simply commit our walk to Him! Even more incredible, perhaps, is that He delights in doing that. To think that God—the almighty Creator—takes pleasure in walking with each of His people in that way!

David knew better than most that there would be dark days in this life—it was David who wrote that, even though he walked through the valley of the shadow of death, he didn’t need to fear evil because His heavenly Shepherd was with Him (Psalm 23:4). From psalms like Psalm 23 and Psalm 37 we learn that God is with us, that He delights in fellowship with us, and that we can trust Him with our very lives. Even a simple observation that the steps of a man are ordered by the Lord represents an amazing truth that we matter to God. When we are encountering hardship or difficulty, or if we simply feel alone as if no one cares about our well-being, we can have confidence in knowing that He loves us and wants to walk with us and guide us through those difficulties we face.

Commit thy way unto the Lord

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Psalms, What’s new?.

Commit your way to the Lord

What does it mean to commit your way to the Lord (Psalm 37:5)?

In the 37th Psalm, David writes that God sustains the righteous (Psalm 37:17) and that their inheritance will be everlasting (Psalm 37:18). The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord (Psalm 37:39). It is a psalm of God’s faithfulness and an encouragement that the righteous do not trust Him in vain. Psalm 37:5 challenges the reader or listener to “commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him.”

In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need God to be our refuge, because there would be no threats. But in this fallen and broken world, we desperately need Him to be our refuge. The psalmist instructs that we not fret or be envious because of those who do evil (Psalm 37:1) because they will fade away quickly like the grass (Psalm 37:2). Evil has no staying power. Even though evil gains a foothold in the short term and may even appear to win the day, the reality is that it will not last. Because of that truth, we are encouraged to put our trust in the Lord and to do what He prescribes, which includes living faithfully (Psalm 37:3).

Our delight should not be in our circumstances; rather, our delight should be in the Lord. We should take pleasure in Him, and when we do that—when our desire is for Him—He provides that our desires are met (Psalm 37:4). The closer we get to Him, the more our desires begin to change from our own selfish wants to wanting what He wants for us. After presenting these thoughts, the psalmist exhorts that we commit our way to the Lord and trust in Him (Psalm 37:5). That commitment and trust does not come without reward, as God is faithful, “and He will do it” (NASB)—but what is it that He will do?

When we commit our way to the Lord and trust in Him, God is faithful to “bring forth [our] righteousness” (Psalm 37:6, ESV). When our way is committed to Him, He shapes us and grows us in His righteousness. Paul explained many years after the psalmist wrote that a person who is walking in the Spirit of God will see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in his life (Galatians 5:22–23). God will accomplish His work in our lives—He will transform us by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1–2) if we will simply be committed to allowing Him to do that.

Elsewhere, Paul reminds believers to set their minds on things above (Colossians 3:1–4). The mindset of the believer is important, and it involves commitment to allowing God to do His work in us. Paul provides another example in Ephesians 5:18. He says we should not be drunk with wine, but, instead, we should be filled with the Holy Spirit. When a person drinks wine excessively, that person is submitting to a process that will end in his having little or no control over his body. Instead of submitting our bodies to wine in that way, we should be submitting ourselves to the Holy Spirit of God—immersing ourselves in His Word so that we are controlled by Him and our desires are shaped by Him. When we are doing that, we are filled with His Spirit or are walking in His Spirit, and He is faithful to bear His fruit in us. When we commit our way to the Lord (Psalm 37:5), He will make sure that way is fruitful.