Verse of the Day 5-4-22

Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret —it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity. Psalm 37:1-11

Psalm 37 is an acrostic that shares much in common with the book of Proverbs. In an acrostic psalm, each line or stanza begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The result is an “A to Z” treatment that is easy to teach and memorize. Psalm 37 attempts to persuade struggling Israelites to trust God and cultivate a humble, righteous life even when they see unethical people prospering all around them. The psalm begins by warning God’s people not to envy evildoers, because their success will fade (vv. 1-2). Instead, the righteous should trust God, do good, be satisfied with him, and commit to him (vv. 3-6). God does not give us all that we desire, but his gift is far better: He instills in our hearts good desires that he then satisfies (v. 4). Jealousy, bitterness, and anger over sinful people’s success lead nowhere good (vv. 7-8) and make no sense, because a great reversal is coming: The wicked will be uprooted while the righteous will inherit the land.

The land is a central theme of Psalm 37. Inheriting the land is the main blessing for the righteous, while the main punishment for the wicked is being cut off from the land. The land God promised Abraham and his descendants was the locus of his blessing: a community ruled by God, guided by his word, flourishing under his care, ordered by his justice, and protected by his strength. As Jesus brings the kingdom of heaven to earth, he promises that his followers will inherit this land and all it represents (Matthew 5:5).

Today’s Bible Readings:

Judges 19-20, John 3:22-4:3, Psalm 104:24-35 and Proverbs 14:22-24