My Reflections on Psalm 37

God can give gifts in unusual forms and He did when He gave me Psalm 37. Around 25 years ago, I was literally sitting on the floor playing a game of chance with the Bible. This was my before Christ period and I had gone out clubbing the night before when I had met a prospective suitor. I had sat with the Bible and opened it up to have some fun and to see if the page would land on a verse that would speak about this "new found friend." As I flipped it open, my eyes went straight to Psalm 37. I began reading. It felt a bit long, but I kept on going thinking maybe I would happen upon a verse that would pertain to this man. In the middle of the chapter, out of nowhere came a strong male voice that said, “It is a gift.” To my surprise, I wasn’t surprised. Instead I asked, “What is the gift? The man is a gift?” There was no answer.

I had all but forgotten about that incident, until I gave my life to Christ some years later. It was then that Psalm 37 came alive to me and has kept me through the years. Recently, God revealed a new meaning of this precious Psalm. He has shown me that this gift actually delineates His weapons of righteousness that include not worrying, trusting Him, delighting in Him, committing my ways to Him, waiting on Him, being humble and not giving in to anger.

If we are to dwell in His land of inheritance, then we must trust in the Lord and do good to obtain this place where we are to cultivate faithfulness (v. 3). Trusting in the Lord may be difficult when our dreams are dashed and we can’t see any good for the future, but our Abba Father encourages us to run into His arms knowing that when He throws us up in the air, He will catch us.

Psalm 37:4 has been one of my favorite verses as it says, delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. The word delight in Hebrew means to be soft or pliable. We are to be like putty in the Master Potter’s hands as He shapes us into the vessel He purposes us to be. Sometimes He may have to pound us into shape because we are not surrendering to His will in certain areas of our lives, but He has a beautiful plan for us in all this pain. He wants us to understand that our desires are to come from Him and when our desires are aligned with His, He will give us the desires of our heart.

Now, I know that I must commit all my ways to God, and also trust Him, and He will do it (v. 5). I may have had my plans, but God directed my path. In my self-will, I have tried to reason out God’s ways and thoughts, which are so much higher than mine. I have boxed in this mysterious God in my limited mind. Impetuously, I have put myself in the position of His consultant, giving Him directives on how He should grant my wishes, like a genie in a bottle, rather than the Lord of my life. Yet, He has gently used Psalm 37 to show me that committing my way to Him may be uncomfortable, inconvenient, tedious or even terrifying. But, my commitment to His way is best as it will ensures that I will value those who society deems unworthy, seek the unreachable, and love the unlovable.

It has been essential for me to realize that I could miss out on God’s blessings when I give in to anger as the enemy will use my wrath to entrap me. When I am consumed by anger, bitterness and resentment, they will wear away my spiritual and even physical health and I may miss out on God’s best.

Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. Psalm 37:8-9

A righteous person waits on the Lord and doesn’t run to man first for direction, but continually seeks and waits on the Lord. Resting in the Lord also goes along with waiting patiently on the Lord (v.7). When we are at rest in the Lord, our eyes are not on the storms around us, but on Christ within us. We are not easily ruffled by annoyances, but stay in perfect peace, which goes beyond all human understanding. The inheritance also goes to the humble (v. 11). Sometimes God allows circumstances in our life to humble us so that He can later lift us up as He exalts the humble.

Humility also means that we need to be upright in conduct (v. 14) even when the wicked come against us. It is better to have little and be right with God than to have an abundance and be wrong in God’s sight (v. 16). The righteous are gracious and give generously, therefore they will be blessed by God and inherit the eternal land (vs. 21-22). And, the Lord has promised to those who are righteous that He will not forsake them, and their children will not go begging for bread, and He will preserve them forever.

Those who are righteous are wise, speak justly and have God’s law in their hearts (vs. 30-31). The righteous are blameless before God and will be people of peace. And, when trouble comes, which it will, they run to the Lord.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him. Psalm 37:39-40

Through it all, we do not have to fret even though God allows us to go through tribulations. He uses whatever trials the enemy throws at us as a tool to smooth off our rough edges and to make us into His image. The Master Potter has got us in His hands. Consequently, we don’t have to worry because God is in charge. Through Him we are not defeated victims, but vibrant victors radiating His glory.