PSALM THIRTY-SEVEN

Psalm 37 has forty verses which reveal the benefits of being a child of God, and also the certain outcome of being a child of the devil.  The writer wanted his brethren to quit being jealous of the temporary success of the wicked, and to concentrate on the eternal reward awaiting the righteous.  Before you reject this understanding because “there is none righteous,” the writer explains why the child of God is considered righteous.  He states that salvation, the state of being righteous, is the work of God (v. 39).

Verse thirty-nine is one of nine verses which mention the righteous.  Because we have been made righteous (v. 39), we have the honor of representing the Lord to an unsaved world (v. 6).  Our portion may not be nearly as great as that of the wicked, but it certainly is better, and it is adequate (v. 16, 25).  We are protected by God (v. 17).  We have the character of God in that we are merciful and charitable (v. 21).  Our future includes our inheritance from our Father (v. 29).  We are given to speak wisdom (v. 30).  And, like the righteous Son of God, we are hated (v. 32).  That last one may not sound like a good thing, but when you think about it, one of the best ways to be sure you are a child of God is that, like Jesus, your are hated (Jn. 15:18-21).  Notice the last verse says, “…all these things will they do unto you for My name's sake….”  It is because you are living for Christ that you are going to be persecuted; not because you are a hypocritical, self-righteous jerk! 

The Psalm contains seven admonitions for the child of God:

1)     Trust God (v. 3).

2)     Delight in your relationship with God (v. 4).

3)     Commit your life to following the Lord (v. 5).

4)     Rest patiently in the One who promises good things for His children (v. 7).

5)     Repent and depart from evil (v. 27).

6)     Wait patiently for justice to be done (v. 34).

7)     Mark (set as your role model) the only perfect Man, Jesus (v. 37).

For the Jew reading this Psalm, the promises have to do with their reward while here on earth.  Notice that they would not go hungry (v. 25), and they will inherit the land (v. 29).  For the born again believer, the promises of God, concerning acts of righteousness, have to do with rewards we will receive in heaven; giving of alms, praying, and fasting, for the believer, will be rewarded in heaven (Matt. 6:1-21).  The key to receiving the blessings of God have nothing to do with living in order to receive them, and everything to do with living to glorify the “Blesser.” 

So, Trust Him, Delight in Him, Commit to Him, Rest in Him, 
Repent before Him, Wait for Him, and Live like Him.   
I promise you won’t regret it; your rewards will be eternal!