Trust, Delight, Commit & Rest: Study of Psalm 37

[Guest shiloh357]

Psa 37:1 A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

Psa 37:2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Shalom Chaverim!!

Here is one of my favorites in the book of Psalms. I gain great encouragement and strength from this chapter, and thought I would share it with everyone. I would like to begin this study by discussing two things from the above verses:

1. Do not be discouraged by prosperity of the Wicked

2. Make God your refuge!!

1. Do not be discouraged by prosperity of the Wicked

The first two verses begin by telling us not to "fret" because of the evil doers. It is speaking primarily of being discouraged or upset at the fact that they seem to prosper in all that they do, while the righteous seem to be left to poverty, discouragement and tears.

The word used for "fret" is qatsaph in Hebrew, and means to burn or to be inflamed. It used primarily in reference to anger. God does not want us to allow our time to be consumed with being angry because of the wicked and their seemingly properous lives. He gives us the reason: They will be cut down like grass, and wither away. They have built their lives on what will not last. They have traded eternal life, for what has NO eternal value. They have sold their souls for temporary pleasures, and one day, they will have to "pay the piper."

Sin has built in consequences, and every one who prospers via their own sinfulness, will reap those consequences. The wicked prosper for a season, but their sin will find them out, and the consequences will come home to roost.

Just look at Psalm 1.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psa 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Psa 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Psa 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

In verse 2 of Psalm 37, David writes that they shall "soon" be cut down... That word soon is m'herah (meh-hay-rah). It means speedily or quickly. The prosperity of the wicked is not something to be desired because the consequences of their "prosperity" is ultimately, destruction!! So, don't waste your time being angry about that!!

The enemy wants to divert your attention from Yeshua. You are not a threat to the devil as long as you have your eyes off of Yeshua, and on to all that is going on around you. We need to consumed with keeping our minds and eyes fixed squarely upon Jesus. Then we don't have time to be concerned with the "prosperity" of the wicked. When our minds are stayed on Yeshua, and our gaze is fixed on His face, we are in a position to recieve His best, and we are best prepared to do battle with our enemy, the devil.

2. Make God your refuge!!

Verse three says to "Trust in the Lord, and do good..." The word for "trust" is batach and it means to hide or take refuge. To "trust in the Lord" means to make Him your refuge. God is our shelter, and our strength.

Psa 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Psa 46:1 <To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.> God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

God is one we can run to and we can trust Him at all times. We can trust Him to always have our best interests at heart. We may not understand everything He does in our lives, but He loves us and is working everything out for our benefit.

Have you every had a time when God closed a door in your life, and at the time you were frustrated and hurt only to find out later, that it was the best thing that could have happened for you? Perhaps there was a job you thought you wanted, or a house that you thought was just perfect for your family, but you discovered God had other plans. Later on, the job you were blessed with was far better than what you asked for originally, and it turned out the house you got later was better than the original, and better priced. I know a number of people that has happened to. Sometimes God blesses us not by what He gives us, but by what He does NOT give us.

It comes down to "trust" or one might say faith. You can always trust Yeshua. He is the one person who will never leave you even if everyone else gives up on you. He loves you with all your hang-ups and shortcomings. Nothing you have done in your past, will ever make Him ashamed of you. His love is unconditional. He will not remember your past sins, or bring them to your remembrance. He is the one person who will not betray or embarass you. Yeshua will never break your heart. Even when we break His heart and fail him, He will always remain faithful to us. He loves us with an everlasting love.

Verse three also tells us to do good. We are to trust God, but we are to demonstrate that trust by our obedience. So... if we are trusting Him, we will first of all cease from fretting over the wicked, and instead we will concern ourselves with Kingdom matters. We are to be about our Father's business. We are not to be entangled in the world's affairs, but we are to shine as brilliant testimonies to the faithfulness of the Lord to all that would put their trust in Him. Instead of fretting over the wicked, we should be showing the wicked who Jesus is. We should reach out to them so that they do not have to fall under God's judgement.

God also gives us a promise: "so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." The word for fed is ra-ah and means to be shepharded. God will tend to your needs. He is telling us that if you concern yourself with the needs of the Kingdom, God will look after your needs. He does not promises riches untold, but neither will you go hungry.

Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Phi 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Until next time, Shalom Aleichem, Chaverim!!

[Yahsway]

Hi Shiloh, and many thanks for encouragement. I praise you Father for you are always right on time!

You know the part where you asked if there ever were doors shut, then frustration and hurt sets in? Well, that was me 1 year ago, but now I see where it was Him working all things out for my own good. This is so true Shiloh!!

He is my refuge and my strength! Your study was a word for me tonight, not just a study. It was right on time. Thanks my friend. lol :hug:

[Orr v'emet]

The enemy wants to divert your attention from Yeshua. You are not a threat to the devil as long as you have your eyes off of Yeshua, and on to all that is going on around you. We need to consumed with keeping our minds and eyes fixed squarely upon Jesus. Then we don't have time to be concerned with the "prosperity" of the wicked. When our minds are stayed on Yeshua, and our gaze is fixed on His face, we are in a position to recieve His best, and we are best prepared to do battle with our enemy, the devil.

You are absolutely right. In this life we will have trouble. We will see the ungodly flourish while saints fall, there will be trials and suffering. The only way to maintain perspective and to receive God's peace and joy in the midst of it all is to keep our eyes focused on Him. We have to lose the temporal sight and turn it in for eternal perspective!

It comes down to "trust" or one might say faith. You can always trust Yeshua. He is the one person who will never leave you even if everyone else gives up on you. He loves you with all your hang-ups and shortcomings. Nothing you have done in your past, will ever make Him ashamed of you. His love is unconditional. He will not remember your past sins, or bring them to your remembrance. He is the one person who will not betray or embarass you. Yeshua will never break your heart. Even when we break His heart and fail him, He will always remain faithful to us. He loves us with an everlasting love.

It's always good to be reminded of the faithfulness and love of our Lord. Brings tears to my eyes.

Verse three also tells us to do good. We are to trust God, but we are to demonstrate that trust by our obedience. So... if we are trusting Him, we will first of all cease from fretting over the wicked, and instead we will concern ourselves with Kingdom matters. We are to be about our Father's business. We are not to be entangled in the world's affairs, but we are to shine as brilliant testimonies to the faithfulness of the Lord to all that would put their trust in Him. Instead of fretting over the wicked, we should be showing the wicked who Jesus is. We should reach out to them so that they do not have to fall under God's judgement.

So right! We are to be the salt and light of the world. How can we do this if we are tangled into the affairs of the world instead of being set apart?

Another great study shiloh! Keep them coming!

[Guest shiloh357]

KMB, Yahsway!!

Glad you are being blessed. We have got 37 more verses of encouragement to go!! PTL Before we're done, Y'all will see why this is my one of my favorite Pslams. It is packed!!

Shalom and blessings to both of you!!

[Born Again]

Great study Shiloh - I'm looking forward to the rest of it!

[Guest Called]

Wow Shiloh! This is another great study! I am looking forward to digging into this Psalm with you! I want to point out one part of your study that really struck a chord with me.

The enemy wants to divert your attention from Yeshua. You are not a threat to the devil as long as you have your eyes off of Yeshua, and on to all that is going on around you. We need to consumed with keeping our minds and eyes fixed squarely upon Jesus. Then we don't have time to be concerned with the "prosperity" of the wicked. When our minds are stayed on Yeshua, and our gaze is fixed on His face, we are in a position to recieve His best, and we are best prepared to do battle with our enemy, the devil.

This is such an important point I think. It is so easy to take your eyes off of Jesus and that is exactly what the enemy wants us to do! Whe our eyes are fixed on Jesus material wealth and prosperity fades into the background! Thank God that when we do take our eyes off Him, He lovingly pulls us back!

Thank you so much Shiloh for your obedience to God and your willingness to serve here on the boards. Your studies are so awesome!

God Bless!

Debbie

[traveller]

Excellent study. Shiloh, you're gonna have to camp out in the Study Forum. You're a gifted teacher brother.

Keep 'em coming indeed!!

[angels4u]

Shiloh.....thank you for your obedients to the Lord, these studies are so much what I need, I need to be more in the Word, there are alot of interesting topics going on on this WB but at the moment I love to hear those great studies!!

God also gives us a promise: "so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." The word for fed is ra-ah and means to be shepharded. God will tend to your needs. He is telling us that if you concern yourself with the needs of the Kingdom, God will look after your needs. He does not promises riches untold, but neither will you go hungry.

How I love these words ,to be able to trust God for the moment and future, I don't have to worry about anything, because if Lord is for me...who can be against me? The Lord will deal with my enemies....Oh how I love Jesus, because He first loved me

Thanks, Angels

[angels4u]

May I add the rest of psalm 91?

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [1]

2 I will say [2] of the LORD , "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling-

even the LORD , who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD , "I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him

and show him my salvation."

Aren't those words beautiful?

Maranathe Jesus come, Angels

[Guest shiloh357]

Psa 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psa 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Psa 37:6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Shalom Chaverim!! I am glad everyone is enjoying this as much as I am!!

Tonight we are going to look at the following three things:

1. Making The Lord Your Delight

2. Casting Your Cares Upon The Lord

3. The Honor Of God

1. Making The Lord Your Delight

The word delight as it is used here, means to be happy about, to be merry. The word in Hebrew is oneg. I remember many times in synagogues and Messianic Congregations I have attended since I got saved, that every Friday night after the service, we had what was called "Oneg HaShabbat." It means to "delight in the Sabbath." There are all kinds of sweet pastries, punch and music. At an oneg you are to only talk of Sabbath-worthy subjects. Compaining about the work week, or discussing business transactions and other such things are frowned on. It is a time of delight and joy, and it was incumbent upon all of us to preserve that spirit on the Sabbath.

We are told to "Oneg Adonai" Delight in the Lord, or make the Lord the rejoicing of your heart. I want to first point out that this is an act of your will and does not depend on whether you feel like it, or not. Even though we are disheartened by the actions of the wicked and the fact that it looks like they are getting away with it all, we are to set our eyes upon the Lord and MAKE Him our delight. There is no time for fretting when we realize that the Lord is ours. The world delights in their portion, delight in yours. We are to find our solace in God, and repose upon Him.

Everything about God should be delightful to us. We are to delight in him as our portion, our provider, our Shephard. He is our exceeding joy; as it is written:

Psa 43:4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

And again the Scriptures say:

Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels

As I said earlier, this is an act of our will and is done inspite of how we feel, and how the external circumstances look like. Just look at this beautiful passage from Habbakuk:

Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Hab 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation

Granted, this is easier said than done, sometimes. That is why there are times when it is something that you must will yourself to do. You must bring yourself in line with the Scriptures regardless of how you feel.

When we make the Lord our delight on a daily basis, we are naturally going to want the things that please Him. Our desire is to bring joy to the heart of God, and we want only those things that make Him happy. For that reason, God says that he will grant us the desires of our heart. What are the desires of a person that makes God his/her delight? To know God, to Love God and to live our lives to God. His desires become our desires. His agenda becomes our agenda. We desire those things that make for the highest good of the Kingdom, and when we pray we are, therefore, careful to ask only for those things commensurate with the furtherance of Kingdom of God. We are assured that God will grant us those requests.

2. Casting Your Cares Upon The Lord

What does it mean to commit your way unto the Lord? The first part of that verse reads in Hebrew, galal haDerech alAdonai. "Roll your way upon the Lord." The idea is to roll the burden of life's cares upon the Lord, so that He can bear it.

Our life's course, our relationships, our plans, our conduct and everything that pertains to the way we live are to be wholly committed to the Lord. He wants us to roll it all over to him.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

The Lord cares for you. He wants your heartache, your pain, your fears your worries, and all that is troubling you, as well as your agenda, goals, aspirations, deadlines, and all those things that weigh on your mind.

And He shall bring it to pass. He will bring about a happy result. A farmer can till the ground plant and water the seed. Then what? He must leave the harvest to God. He cannot make it rain, or by the force of his will cause the harvest to mature more quickly. He must leave the harvest in God's hands and trust Him for the bounty. Likewise all we can do is be obedient to what God has told us to do, and leave the rest up to him. HE is responsible for the results. We cannot fret over the prosperity of the wicked when we have given all to HIS charge, and keep.

3. The Honor Of God

When we trust Him, make Him our Delight, and Commit our life's way over to God, He is honored and is in a postion to be glorified in our lives. But notice verse 6 of Psalm 37: And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. The Lord will clear the slandered. The Lord will vindicate us in the face of our enemies, thus we can leave our vindication to him. He is our Champion.

Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

When we have done all that we have been told, when we have walked in humble obedience by not being angry on account of the wicked, by making the Lord our Refuge and Delight in the face of our enemies, then the Lord will fight for us. The Lord will honor those that honor Him.

That was one of the problems with the Pharisees. They sought the honor that comes from man rather than the honor of God. Yeshua said to them,

John 5:44

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

Here is an interesting verse:

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Did you know that God has a desire to exalt you? God wants to exalt you!! It is YOU exalting YOURSELF that God hates. He wants to honor you. He wants to bless your obedience, and He wants the world to watch Him do it!

What does this mean? It means that when you humble yourself in obedience to the Lord, and follow His dictates, He will promote you in front of your enemies, and those who commit evil against you.

He will do it in due time. He will promote you at the proper opportunity. Don't give up on believing for the Plan and Power of God to be manifest in your life. The wicked will only prosper for a season, but those who trust in the Lord and make Him there delight will recieve the honor of God which does not fade.

Consider also, that God is also working in the lives of others, still conforming them to fit His plan. How often we judge too quickly what a person is or is not. How often we miss the potential sitting there in front of us.

God took a shephard boy named David and did great things with Him. In the beginning, even his own family did not think that he would amount to much. God took him, used him, and David slew giants, was God's warrior in battle, became King over a nation, wrote a good portion of the book of Psalms, and even today, ask the Jewish people who our greatest King was... He even serves as a type of the warrior/King Messiah Yeshua, and it is through David's line that Yeshua was born. God honored Him further by saying that He (David) was a man after His own Heart. Quite a bit considering where he came from, and considering that no one who knew him when he was just a shephard, had any idea who they were standing in front of.

You cannot look at yourself, or another believer, and assume that what you see today is all there is. Each of us is a work in progress, and nobody STARTS at the finish line. Perhaps you are still waiting to see where God is leading you, and what He is leading you into. Stay your eyes on Yeshua, and keep your steps ordered in His word. Seek the honor that comes from God alone. God has promised and He will fulfill it. He honors His Word above His own name.

Until next time, Shalom Aleichem Chaverim!!