PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Psalm 37
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” (Psalm 37:3)
This Psalm lays out the contrast between a God-like person, and a God-less person.
Even if for a time selfish, greedy, cruel people succeed, their doom is certain.
Don’t envy them, hang on to God, make it your priority to do what is right.
Trust that the God-life is the good-life, the only life that will last.
The thing is, I am not sure I recognize myself in either extreme.
I’m neither devoted to selfish, greedy living nor to selfless, generous living.
I find myself in the middle, generally moving in the right direction but not always.
The Lord is not condemning me nor commending me… He is calling me to aim for better.
The goal of this Psalm is to remind us of the true ‘good life’ and to compel us to seek it.
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
This is not a way to get your selfish desires fulfilled… this is not delighting in the Lord.
Rather, if I want (delight in) the God-life, He will give me the God-life (what I desire).
So many people pursue the good life but never seem to find it.
That’s because only the God-life can give us the good life — life to the full that will never end!
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for restoring me to the God-life, it really is the good life!
This Psalm makes me think of faithful believing people who have lost everything – the persecution of Christians at Mosul, Iran or in Pakistan or other places. The ‘safe pasture’ for them – where is it? Even as refugees the selection process is skewed against them. Yet, I’ve also seen how God provides a ‘hedge’ of protection on believers – we experienced that in Bangladesh – we found that most Christian families were kept safe in the face of disaster. Ultimately, we know the ‘rest of the story’ that the end is a ‘safe pasture’ – that I too will be safe no matter what happens: I need to keep on ‘doing good’ – living a life in service to my faithful God – the Jesus way – because that is the only way that leads to ‘safe pasture’ – there is nothing else that is secure and enduring in this life.
My salvation is from the Lord God. He is my stronghold, my tower of strength. I live for Him and I take refuge in Him for He is my tower of strength. True life is knowing Him and living for Him always.
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
Blessed be the name of the Lord Most High!
(Repeat)
The name of the Lord is a strong tower,
The righteous run into it,
And they are saved.
(Repeat)
Glory to the name of the Lord,
Glory to the name of the Lord,
Glory to the name of the Lord Most High!
(Repeat)
The name of the Lord is a strong tower,
The righteous run into it,
And they are saved.
(Repeat)
Holy is the name of the Lord,
Holy is the name of the Lord,
Holy is the name of the Lord Most High!
(Repeat)
The name of the Lord is a strong tower,
The righteous run into it,
And they are saved.
(Repeat)