2021 1121 Psalm 37

A Time to Rest, a Time to Prepare, a Time for Action

Psalm 37:3–4 NIV

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.

Psalm 37 speaks of the righteous flourishing and the wicked perishing

40 verses of contrast - not enough time to do it all justice

want to highlight the way of the righteous

yes we need to remove sin and unrighteousness from our lives

grab hold of the good and the perfect of Jesus then the bad disappears

This is the Season Past

we have had a time of rest

God works all things for good to those who love him

Whatever re the virus, we have rested

we have had to take stock and to refocus on the things that matter

God is still in control.

Psalm 37:23–24 NIV

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

A Time to Prepare

Psalm 37:3 NIV

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

psalm starts about not fretting over evil

we can rant and rave about the virus and vaxxes with some justification

the reality is we need still to trust in the Lord

trust in the Lord and DO GOOD

positive things always come from trusting in the Lord

Psalm 37:4 NIV

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

we should go further and delight in Jesus

there is a whole being approach here

there is a sense of deeper joy

there is a sense of fulfillment and contentment

Psalm 37:5 NIV

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:

of course it is not just a mind thing or an emotional response

there is an obligation to do more - to commit your way to the Lord

not your thoughts, not your plan but the Lord’s

there is a commitment of your time, of your finances, of your possessions

there is a full heartedness of youself

Are you prepared to work for the Kingdom?

Psalm 37:6 NIV

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

reward and vindication comes from Jesus

we do good, he will reward RIGHTEOUS

man will reward according to man

Jesus rewards according to the Kingdom

Psalm 37:7 NIV

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.

this is not a time of silence

it is a time allowing the Spirit to speak into your very deepest parts

the antidote to the rewards of the wicked is Jesus himself

yes there is an injustice when the wicked seem to prosper

yes there is an injustice when the righteous do not flourish

yet these are worldly man centred views and desires

our reward is in Jesus and his blessings are eternal

Psalm 37:8 NIV

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.

here is a little warning as is common in this Psalm

the process of fretting has some serious outcomes

anger arises and wrath overtakes - there is judgement and revenge in the heart of man

there is a stark reality - fretting or worry leads to evil

you are not here today to do evil - you want the good of Jesus

The Strength of Jesus

Psalm 37:39–40 NIV

The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

the Psalmist now sums up all for which this Psalm declares

salvation is from the Lord

Jesus is our stronghold

we are saved from the wicked

we are to be in his refuge

Come Alive video (5 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTGEGD9dWuo

a song with a prophetic edge

the valley of dry bones Ezekiel 37:1-14

Ezekiel 37:11 NIV

Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’

the voice of despair, the voice of defeat

yet we are more than conquerors, we are victorious beyond imagination

we are not dead, we are not dry

our hope is gone

yet this is what I say

the refreshment of the Lord is building, the rain clouds are overhead

Ezekiel 37:14 NIV

I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’ ”

the Lord Jesus rebukes the negativity of this world of false hope and dry lifeless promises

we have his Spirit and we are alive

the land of nothing in this world is the land of plenty in the Lord

we shall prosper, we shall flourish

so we stand and we do all in the name of Jesus