Psalm 37:16-19 NASB

Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of the wicked, for the arms of the wicked will be broken; But the LORD sustains the righteous.  The LORD knows the days of the blameless (complete); and their inheritance will be forever.  They will not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they will have abundance.

Have you ever found yourself in a no win situation?  It's frustrating and discouraging, to say the least.  Well, here we have a "can't lose" promise; and, if we'll take hold of it, the reality of this truth will bless us in any situation.  Here's the promise:

• God + our limited resources = everything (better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of the wicked... the LORD sustains the righteous)
• God + our limited days = forever (The LORD knows the days of the blameless; and their inheritance will be forever)
• God + our limited help = favor (the blameless...will not be ashamed in the time of evil)
• God + our limited means = abundance (in the days of famine...the blameless...will have abundance)

Isn't that great math?  Even I can get it. And the figures don't lie.

Psalm 37:7-13 NASB

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 carries out wicked schemes.  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.  Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place, and he will not be there.  But the humble will inherit the land, and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.  The wicked plots against the righteous; and gnashes at him with his teeth.  The LORD laughs at him; for He sees his day is coming.

If ever there was a time when we need to heed this promise, it's today. We are overdosing on bad news.  Technology has amplified the problems of the world, bringing bad news to us on a constant and universal basis.  Where the local paper used to bring to us the events surrounding our more immediate vicinity, and that only daily, now cable TV and the web bring us events from around the world, minute by minute.  Whereas the presence of evil may not be worse, nor more prevalent, than years past, it certainly is more available than years past, causing us to think that evil prevails while righteousness suffers.  I think it has caused us, as Christians, to become so affected by the negative that we've lost the greatest appeal of early Christianity, and that is JOY.  We are coming across as angry with the world, and that, somehow, if God won't do it, we'll take them on.  But, as the media continues to bombard us with evidence of a lost cause, we fret and stew, filling all of our conversations and endeavors with our bitterness and judgment.  It's to us that the Psalmist says, "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 carries out wicked schemes.  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."  The word "rest" means to "be still".  We need to learn to take up causes without fostering divisive radicalism and extremism.  This only breeds anger, and it's zeal without knowledge.  Christians should, by the very nature of Christ in them, come down a stronger line, which is that of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, with the heartfelt knowledge that God is in control: "Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place, and he will not be there.  But the humble will inherit the land, and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.  The wicked plots against the righteous; and gnashes at him with his teeth.  The LORD laughs at him; for He sees his day is coming.  This isn't something we flaunt.  This is just where we rest.

Psalm 37:4-6 NASB

Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.  And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday.

This is the language of true love, as spoken by the groom to his bride, promising the moon and more.  It wells up out of a heart completely gone on the one loved. These are more than wishful, romantic words;  they are the words of One who is willing, able and ready to give all that He has for us.  Yes!  For us!  He's talking to us!  This isn't stupid love.  This is a declared love to those who delight themselves in the LORD and who commit their way to Him. There's a popular thinking floating around these days that gives the idea that God loves us no matter what we do, no matter how much we may neglect and ignore Him, and no matter how rotten our attitude. We're talking about a different love here. There is His love that seeks to save us from our sin, not willing that any should perish.  This is the "For God so loved the world", but there is also a richer kind of love for a lover--for the one who reciprocates with love. Nothing can compare to the cherishing, delightful love of the groom for his bride, and of the bride for the groom.  God's love for the world has to do with mercy.  God's love for His people has to do with intimacy.  We stand amazed at the love that loved us while we were yet sinners, but we beam because of the love that loves us as His chosen bride:  "And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday."  Bask in this kind of love! 

Psalm 37 (overall) NASB

Verse 3:  Trust in the LORD
Verse 4:  Delight yourself in the LORD
Verse 5:  Commit your way to the LORD
Verse 7a:  Rest in the LORD
Verse 7b:  Wait patiently for the LORD (also verse 34)

The Psalmist, David, is dealing with an age old problem among God's people; that of fretting over the success of wrongdoers.  We look at a world where evil thrives and innocent people suffer, where injustice, unfairness, cheating and corruption hold sway, and we can begin to struggle with a feeling of hopeless, helpless anger. And there is nothing worse than hopelss, helpless anger.  It's dangerous stuff because it becomes consumed with that which it cannot change and changed by that which it cannot consume.  If not corrected, these hearts will take on a meanness of their own, filling their conversations with a spirit of bemoaning and demeaning. They groan over everything they oppose and they lash out at anyone who opposes. The Psalmist gives us strong warning here.  He says, "Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing," (37:7b-8).  John Wesley said, "I would as soon swear as fret."  He understand what great harm it can bring to our lives.  So what are we to do then?  Here's where the Psalmist points us in the right direction.  He urges us to get our focus off of evil and to fix our eyes on God.  Evil will come and go (Read all about it: vs.2, 9a, 13, 15, 17a, 20, 22b, 28b, 34b, 35-36, 38); God will see to that.  But God is eternal and His eternal eye is on the righteous (Read all about it: vs.4-6, 9b, 11, 17b-19, 22a, 23-25, 28a, 29-31, 34a, 37, 39-40). They will dwell in the land, and God will see to that!  Therefore,

Trust in the LORD

Delight yourself in the LORD
Commit your way to the LORD

Rest in the LORD

Wait patiently for the LORD

I Kings 2:1-3 NASB

As David's time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, "I am going the way of all the earth.  Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.  Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statures, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn..."

I've often wondered, if I had the chance in my dieing moments, what I would be saying to those around me; and especially to my children and grandchildren. 
First, I want to be aware of my approaching death.  If I'm not allowed that at death's door, I certainly want to be keenly aware of it throughout my life, and prepared to face that inevitable moment in my life.  Isn't it interesting that, given that this is the most certain event in our lives, such little thought is given to it in comparison to preparing ourselves for other things in life?  I don't know of any university that offers a major in dieing. Can you imagine?  You would even be hard pressed to find one class on it. And who in the world would sign up for it?  Yet, next to salvation, death is the most sobering, life altering, event we will ever face in our lives;  all of us!  That's what David captures in his statement to his son Solomon.  The writer notes that, "As David's time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, 'I am going the way of all the earth...'" 
Second, I want to be aware of those around me at my approaching death. So many are so concerned and concentrated on their own death that they don't take opportunity with others. David was concentrated on his son; not death.  And I love his sense of what mattered in that moment.  He said to Solomon,  "Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man."  No wishy-washy, gushy stuff here.  No!  Just BAMM!  "BE STRONG...SHOW YOURSELF A MAN!"  David, with some of his children, had faced some of the results of his own failure to demonstrate and discipline (I Kings (Adonijah, I Kings1:5-6; Amnon, II Samuel 13; Absalom, II Samuel 14-18) and you can almost feel his angst as he now speaks to Solomon. He gives full attention to him.
Thirdly, I want to be aware of God at my approaching death. Where David had failed to guide, discipline and instruct his children in the past, he now urges Solomon to step up to the plate of human responsibility in the light of divine presence.  He says to him, "Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statures, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn..."  Honestly, could it have been said any better?  He pointed Him to the LORD God.  He pointed him to the Word of God.  He pointed Him to the ways of God.  I pray I will have enough sense about me in that day to do the same with those I love, but I don't want to wait till then.  May God help us to give our full attention to our family all along the way, "till death do us part".

Psalm 118:22-24 NASB

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.  This is the LORD's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

One of the great gems of prophetic truth is our text; a passage of Scripture that Jesus related to Himself (Mark 12:10, 11), and which Peter also related to Jesus (Acts 4:11; I Peter 2:7).  As we understand it in that light, what else can we say but, "This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"  There is absolutely nothing greater than this news.  But is it possible, as we acknowledge and revere this prophetically, historically and theologically, making it the corner stone of the gospel, that we can miss its deep possibilities personally?  That Day, of the laying of the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ, historically, needs to be done in our hearts personally, so that no matter how dark the night, as in the horrific circumstances that surrounded the laying of that Stone then, we can witness, no matter the circumstances, that this is what brings light and life to every day of our lives.  Could it be that this is the secret of those who can say with all their heart, on any day, no matter how dark, "This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"?  I think so. I think so.

Psalm 118:1, 4-6, 8 NASB

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting...Oh let those who fear the LORD say, "His lovingkindness is everlasting."  From my distress I called upon the LORD; You answered me and set me in a large place. 


The word "lovingkindness" carries the idea of extending favor to someone.  I think, in life, there is nothing greater than those moments when you knew God had granted you a measure of goodness much needed.  These are those moments when you knew you couldn't have succeeded except for the extended act of kindness shown on your behalf.  I have known those times in sticky interpersonal dealings.  I have known those times in pressing financial need.  I have known those times in difficult directional challenges.  I have known those times in tough leadership decisions. I have known those times in "impossible" heart concerns.  I have known those times in heavy family burdens.  It's that moment when, all of a sudden, the hand extended tilts the scale the right way and makes a way for you when there was no way.  God likes to do this with His children.  This is the reason for the Psalm that comes right before our text.  It's the Christian national anthem!  It makes you want to put your hand over your heart, stand, and sing with gusto, "Praise the LORD, all nations; laud Him, all peoples!  For His lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth (faithfulness) of the LORD is everlasting.  Praise the LORD!"  Do you feel it?

Psalm 116:3-8, 15 NASB

The cords of death encompassed me, and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow.  Then I called upon the name of the LORD; "O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!"  Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.  The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.  Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you, for You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.  I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living... Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones.

There is a foe difficult for us to handle, and that is the inevitable.  This is especially true with inevitability of physical death.  Very few of us surrender to it easily, and rightfully so because we are made to live.  All along the way we seek every avenue to for stall this inevitable event, right up to our last breath.  But, finally, we are all swallowed up in the reality that "It is appointed unto man once to die."  It is a great curse of the Fall.  Paul calls it "the last enemy".  We are constantly up against it, and sometimes more fearfully.  How often have any one of God's people had to say, "The cords of death encompassed me, and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow"?  Countless numbers, in their own darkness, know exactly what the Psalmist felt when he said, "Then I called upon the name of the LORD; "O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!"  And how thankful we are when we again escape death's intent on on our lives, declaring,  "Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.  The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me."  But there is something else going on in this passage of Scripture that is important to see and know.  The Psalmist seems to mix the object of his attention, on physical life, with soul life.  He says, in verses 7 and 8, "Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you, for You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling."  C.S. Lewis said, "I do not have a soul.  I am a soul.  I have a body."  The inevitable will finally bring this body to the grave; but we are much more than body, and blessed is the person who sees this.  It sets them on a different course, and that is the salvation of their soul.  The inevitable is taken over by the eternal, becoming their very reason for anything, both in this life and the next.  We are captured by the Audience of One, and we declare with the Psalmist, as long as we live in this life,  "I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living."  And this Audience of One is captured by any who walk before Him this way, keeping His eye on them all the way, even unto death.  Now we can understand why the Psalmist wrote, " Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones".  He has followed our goings all the way, as we follow His grace all the way.  And as we walk through the valley of death, He is with us with His big heart, still holding our hand as we awaken in eternity.  There is no relationship like this relationship!  "What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?  I shall lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD, (Ps. 116:12-13)