Psalm 37 (2)

Big Idea: From this psalm, we learn how to pray our way through moments of incredible anxiety and stress when we are powerless to change the circumstances around us.

Introduction

Culture today wants to paint a picture of what success and happiness looks like. Unfortunately it is marred by compromise, jaded by false sense of security and a dedication to self-indulgence.

Ps 37 is a believers prayer when it appears that all around us the lies are winning. Thus creating a sense of stress and anxiety.

Modern day evil succeeding

Individual Success

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 5: Psalms (Revised Edition) Overview

At issue is the power, greed, and prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous

Hollywood is considered successful, yet very little focus put on character, integrity as the bible defines it.

Headline in USAToday May 2023 - Robert De Niro welcomes seventh child at 79, shares name and first photo - 7 kids, 4 different women

The article finishes with his “success” - “De Niro is a two-time Oscar winner for his supporting role in "The Godfather: Part II" and best actor in "Raging Bull." In 2011, he was also honored with the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award for his impact on the world of entertainment and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom five years later.”

Elon Musk - 10 kids 3 moms, 4 of them out of wedlock, yet he’s one of the wealthiest

Broader Society

Most of us can now agree that Nazi-Germany, the former soviet union, Benito Mussolini’s Italy, are all examples of modern day evildoers who (for a time) appeared to be winning - Soviet Totalitarianism existed for 67 years

The regime maintained its political power by means of the secret police, propaganda disseminated through the state-controlled mass media, personality cultism, restriction of free discussion and criticism, the use of mass surveillance, political purges and persecution of specific groups of people.

Today’s evil is a little softer, but no less miltaristic, approach (for now).

According to Hannah Arendt, the foremost scholar of totalitarianism, a totalitarian society is one in which an ideology seeks to displace all prior traditions and institutions, with the goal of bringing all aspects of society under control of that ideology. A totalitarian state is one that aspires to nothing less than defining and controlling reality. Truth is whatever the rulers decide it is.

Back in the Soviet era, totalitarianism demanded love for the Party, and compliance with the Party’s demands was enforced by the state. Today’s totalitarianism demands allegiance to a set of progressive beliefs, many of which are incompatible with logic—and certainly with Christianity. Compliance is forced less by the state than by elites who form public opinion, and by private corporations that, thanks to technology, control our lives far more than we would like to admit.

Dreher, Rod. Live Not by Lies (pp. 7-8). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

When it looks like evil is winning, how do we respond?

When you see someone advancing in business or financially succeeding at the expense of others, cheating or manipulating the system, What is your response?

Worry? Anxiety? Fear? Anger? If we aren’t careful we can lose our hope and joy!

Let me be clear this is not a political message. Politics cannot nor do not change where we find hope and joy.

Joy Killers: What to Avoid when under stress and anxiety

We rarely make good decisions when our hearts are anxious!

Don’t Fret (worry, anxious) vs 1, 7, 8 - don’t let your emotions get out of control, stay calm

vs 1 They fade like grass

Stalin took in power 1924

Soviet Gov’t was in power until 1991

67 years or 1% of known history

US has only existed for 4% of earth’s life

vs 7 They bring wicked schemes to pass

vs 8 It “only causes harm” NASB

Don’t Envy - the evil life may look like success but will soon die away - v 38 the future of the wicked will be cut off

AI generated Leo living the glamorous life!

Don’t be vengeful - abstain from anger and turn from wrath v8 desire the person who wronged me be spared God’s judgment See 2 Pet 3:9

ILLUS: The Arizona Republic (4/25/95) reported that when Steve Tran of Westminster, California, closed the door on 25 activated bug bombs, he thought he had seen the last of the cockroaches that shared his apartment. When the spray reached the pilot light of the stove, it ignited, blasting his screen door across the street, breaking all his windows, and setting his furniture ablaze.

"I really wanted to kill all of them," he said. "I thought if I used a lot more, it would last longer." According to the label, just two canisters of the fumigant would have solved Tran's roach problem.

The blast caused over $10,000 damage to his apartment building. And the cockroaches? Tran reported, "By Sunday, I saw them walking around."

Joy Fillers: What to Embrace

Is God your last resort or your first?

Psalm 37:3 NKJV

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Trust in the Lord v3 rely on our pilot not feelings. Trust Jesus when I cannot trust my circumstances

Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

God is eternal, He will never fade away

Do Good v3 trust and do good - verbal faith should be followed by right actions

Dwell & Feed - Abide in Christ

Matthew 5:5 NKJV

5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:11 NKJV

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

John 15:4–6 ESV

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Delight yourself in the Lord - vs 23 reminds us that the Lord delights in us. We may stumble but won’t fall, he never forsakes those wholly dependent upon Him. He holds us for a glorious future v37-40

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Where is your focus?

one cannot simply turn off thinking of the problems of life...

You can’t simply be against everything that is bad. You have to be for something good. Otherwise you go nuts

What is the desire of your heart?

As we trust in God more, do good and dwell in Him our desires begin to align more with His desires!

Commit your way to the Lord v5

Psalm 37:5 ESV

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

Oswald Chambers said we often attempt to think rather than obey our way out of confusion. If I do what the Lord asks even when I don’t know where He is leading me, then I will safely emerge from trial.

Be still v7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him

Worship music - we music as a powerful tool of both the enemy and of God -

Devil was a worship leader in heaven -

David calmed Saul with music

Closing

What happens if we lose our freedom of religion? What happens if we can no longer meet freely in a building and worship together? It is unlikely in our lifetime that will be a reality, but stay with me.

What happens if we no longer get tax exemption? What happens if what the bible says is wrong and standing up for that can land you in social exile?

None of this should steal our hope and joy. We still serve a God who’s love exceeds all of these things. We still have an eternal hope in a new heaven and new earth that will exceed our current beauty we see now in creation.

No matter who gets elected, what laws get changed, we are called to love God and love others. We are called to share the gospel with those around us.

We must trust in God, do good, delight in Him, commit our ways to Him and find rest in Him as we wait upon his return.

***the moral fabric of our society shifted when we separated a man’s character from what he did at the highest level in our presidency - Bill Clinton