Psalm 37:5-6 “Surrendering Our Plans “: The Secure Pathway

Psalm 37:1–6 KJV 1900

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, And thy judgment as the noonday.

Psalm 37:1–6 NLT

1 Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. 2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

“ Surrendering Our Plans “: The Secure Pathway

Explain Title

Opening Statement: Keep in mind through this WHOLE sermon that I personally don’t have EVERYTHING TOGETHER, BUT It must be taught.

When you look at the world

And the wicked prospering

It will make you want to Trade-in

Your God-given plans

For the WAY of the WORLD and the WICKED prospering

Quote: If you ever want to make God laugh, tell Him YOUR PLANS.

Quote: You don’t get the life Jesus promise until you live the life Jesus lived.

Statement: You either going to live a life of DIFFERENCE or you’re NOT DIFFERENT ,,

[ A Double Life ]

Most people associate “double life” with secret sin — like someone who sings in the choir on Sunday but is in an affair during the week. But let’s broadening this application of the phrase to say:

A double life isn't only about hidden sin — it’s also about inconsistent witness.

Statement: What did Jesus call those religious folks, “ You hypocrites “ Because they was saying one thing and living another way.

When we claim Christ but blend in with the world, when we’re silent when we should speak, when we chase the same things the world does — we’re still living two different lives: one in name, one in practice.

"Now I know when we hear the phrase ‘living a double life,’ we usually think about someone who’s secretly doing something scandalous — adultery, fornication, stealing, and so on.

But I want to challenge that idea today. Because you don’t have to be caught up in some big, obvious sin to be living a double life. You can sit in church every week, post Bible verses, say 'God is good,' but if your life looks no different from the world — if you're not living a life that’s holy, set apart for God — then you’re still living a double life. One life says you’re a Christian… but the other life never reflects Christ."

Example: Insurance fraud

Scripture that supports the case:

2 Timothy 3:5 – "having a form of godliness but denying its power"

Romans 12:2 – "Do not conform to the pattern of this world"

1 Peter 1:15-16 – "Be holy in all you do"

Matthew 5:13-16 – Salt and light — a call to difference, not blending in

Question: Do you really want to live FULLY for the Lord ?

1 Kings 11:6 NASB95

6 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not follow the Lord fully, as David his father had done.

Solomon, the son of David — the wisest man who ever lived — started his reign with a heart full of humility and devotion.

When God asked him what he wanted, he didn’t ask for riches or fame — he asked for wisdom to lead God's people.

That’s how he started. He built the Temple. He prayed powerful prayers. He had a front-row seat to God's glory.

But somewhere along the way… Solomon drifted. He let compromise sneak in through his alliances, his marriages, and his affections.

First Kings 11:6 says, “Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done.” That’s tragic. He didn’t fall off all at once — it was a slow fade.

Solomon’s story reminds us that it’s not just about how you start — it’s how you finish. Psalm 37 calls us to commit our way to the Lord and trust in Him. 

Solomon started by trusting God, but he ended up trusting his own wisdom and his own way. Let that be a warning and a reminder: Don’t just start with God — stay with Him. Finish strong.

I think most Christians

That’s

If they are genuine Christians

That they won’t to stay CONNECTED to the Lord

Without a FULL COMMITMENT to the Lord

In other words

Let me say it like this

“Many believers want the proximity of God without the commitment to God. They want to be close enough to feel His presence but not close enough to surrender to His will.”

“Some are content being in the vicinity of God’s presence—around the church, around worship, around the Word—but never actually stepping into a relationship with Him.”

“Too many want the vicinity of God without the proximity that comes through real relationship. They want to be around God but not with God.”

Example: It’s like someone that’s been dating for 5+ years he wants to be around you but no commitment

Example: Let me show you how God feel

You have that Family Member, Friend, Neighbor, Co-worker, Church Member that shows you over & over they are not really concerned about YOU, your well-being, your schedule, your feelings, your rest , your peace, your problems, what you’re dealing with, the wear & tear on your vehicle, they just want what they want and they know they can get their needed desire met by YOU— In other words they benefit just staying connected to you, With no concern or commitment to you and that’s how many christians do God, they stay connected for benefit.

Here’s the Context of the Content

Psalm 37:5–6 KJV 1900

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, And thy judgment as the noonday.

1. The Contrast Continues: Though the verses don't explicitly mention the wicked, the Psalmist continues the response to the overarching problem: "Why do the wicked seem to flourish while the godly suffer?" Verses 5–6 provide a counter-perspective: Instead of fretting (v. 1), the righteous are called to commit, trust, and wait — because God will act on their behalf.

2. “Commit your way to the Lord”: This phrase literally means “roll your path onto the Lord.” It's a call to entrust one's life course — including injustices, delays, and frustrations — to God, in contrast to trying to fix things through fretful striving or envy.

3. “Trust in Him, and He will act”: The Psalmist encourages patient confidence. God may seem delayed compared to the swift rise of the wicked, but He will act — in His time and way. This is an intentional redirection from the appearance of immediate prosperity to the assurance of ultimate justice.

4. “He will bring forth your righteousness as the light…” This is a powerful image of vindication. The idea is that even if the righteous are overlooked, slandered, or mistreated now, God will one day publicly reveal their righteousness and justice — as clearly and undeniably as the dawn or the noonday sun.

The Psalmist is saying: “Let the wicked have their moment; your moment will come — and it will be divine, undeniable, and eternal.”

What the Psalmist Wants the Reader to Keep in Mind:

Don’t envy short-term gains of the wicked. Their apparent success is temporary (vv. 1–2).

God is not blind to your righteousness or to injustice. Even if it’s hidden now, He will reveal it in due time.

Your job is trust; God’s job is timing. Commit your way, trust Him, and wait for His action.

This is a deep encouragement for believers not to let injustice or delayed vindication shake their faith or redirect their focus. It’s a call to live with eternal vision in a world that glorifies temporary success.

Define: “ Commit thy way “—-

A Commentary, Critical, Experimental, and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments, Vol. III: Job–Isaiah Psalm 37

Commit thy way unto the Lord—Hebrew, gol, ‘roll thy way upon Jehovah.’ The image is of one rolling off from his own shoulders a burden which he is not able to bear, upon the shoulders of another, who is able to bear it

Define: thy way —

Example: you won’t God to see after your — Marriage - Husband - Wife - Child - Children - Health - Job - Finances - Grandchildren - Car - Needs for the Home -

It looks like to me

That you want God

To see after ALL the affairs of your life

Or

Should I say God COMMIT to your WILL

But you not COMMIT to His WAYS

“Commit your way”

It’s graduation season

And why is it that we pray for our children

Classes - Friends - Stay out of trouble - To provide school supplies - To go to college - A good job - Provide Tuition

But it’s time to CELEBRATE

We celebrate like the world — “Commit thy way”

Quote: You don’t get the life Jesus promise until you live the life Jesus lived.

Define: Trust

Proverbs 3:5 ESV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Psalm 37:5 NLT

5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

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Note; I’m not saying that something we do are sinful. It just doesn’t bring a good image to the church and to the body of Christ.

Note: Here I’m trying to do everything right according to God’s word and hear these churches are doing boots on the ground and enjoying it and I’m trying to get us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and look at how their prospering

Note: Show me a church today that you know of that teaching sound option, holding the people accountable and not compromising and the church is full of people. You won’t find it.

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1. Commit With Confidence

Psalm 37:5-5

You could start by emphasizing the importance of committing our way to the Lord as a proactive choice in faith. Highlight how this decision marks the beginning of surrender, allowing believers to entrust their paths, dreams, and concerns to God. Perhaps draw parallels to other biblical figures who demonstrated trust in God's guidance and explore how such commitment leads to divine peace and reassurance, signaling God's active involvement in our lives.

Psalms 1–87, Volume I The Dispositions and Benedictions of the Good (Verses 3–11)

Devotion. “Commit thy way unto the Lord.” The good are not to take the sole guidance and responsibility of their own life. They are to commit their way, their sorrow, their moral imperfections, their mental perplexities, their domestic cares, and their temporal circumstances, entirely into the hands of the Lord.

2. Rise In Righteousness

Psalm 37:6

Maybe focus on the promise that God will make your righteousness shine like the dawn when you commit to Him. Explain how this assurance of God's vindication encourages believers to trust and rest in His timing. Encourage the audience to see this as a call to live uprightly, knowing God validates those who surrender in faith. Illustrate how Christ embodied this promise through His life and death, shining in all His glory after total commitment to the Father's will.

Believer’s Bible Commentary Psalm 37: True Peace

37:5, 6 Or it may be that you have been misquoted, falsely accused or slandered. If there were some shred of truth to the charges they wouldn’t be so hard to take. But they are absolutely untrue and malicious. What should you do? Commit the entire matter to the LORD. Roll the whole weight of it onto Him. Let Him act on your behalf, and then you will be completely vindicated. It will become clear for all to see that you were innocent after all. Barnes says:

3. Secure In Submission

Psalm 37:6

Consider concluding with how trusting God with our plans creates strength and resilience. Discuss the security that comes from letting God direct our paths, transforming fears into faith-filled journeys. Invite listeners to examine their lives, offering up their future to God. Show that through Christ, believers have a clear example of ultimate surrender resulting in glorious resurrection, a poignant reminder of the beautiful outcomes of a committed life.