Psalm 37

Psalm 37

The Only Just Judge

I. Only the One true and perfect God will justly judge our imperfect world; so we must submit our lives to Him (Vv. 1-11)

a. We can determine who sits on the throne of our hearts based on how we respond to the people and events around us, especially those events and people which impact us negatively. Understanding this reality, David begins his psalm by proclaiming how we should and shouldn’t respond to life. Because the perceived prosperity of the wicked is short lived, we’re not to overheated with, envious of, or angry or wrathful toward wrongdoers, because it leads to evildoing ourselves. We are prone to fret, be envious, become angry, and lash out at others wrathfully, because deep in our hearts we think we know better than God, and we really want what the wicked have, but know we can’t get away with it. These emotions are common to all of us, but their presence in our lives is a call from God to constantly dethrone ourselves in our hearts and enthrone Him as Lord through Christ Jesus. (Vv. 1-2, 7-8)

b. Enthroning God in our hearts means trusting in His righteous, just, and unchanging, nature to make certain righteousness prevails and all people and things are judged justly. When we’re truly trusting in God, we’ll “do good” and our lives will produce faithfulness, even in bad circumstances. When we delight in God, we desire to “fill up on Him”, and find abundance and blessing in who He is, what He does, and what He desires for our lives, even in challenging times. When we truly delight in the Lord, His desires for our lives become our heart’s desire for ourselves, and we trust Him ever more deeply as He proves His faithfulness. We commit our way to Him, trusting our burdens to Him, and He provides true rest, as we wait patiently on Him to do things His way because we truly know it’s best for us and most glorifying to Him. We become steadily more convinced that the prosperity of the wicked will be wiped completely away, and we find the strength by God’s grace to bridle our power in humility. We’re able to trust in His promises and live in His abundant blessings today no matter our circumstances. (Vv. 3-6, 9-11; Ps, 34:14; 46:10; 90:5-6; 102:11; 103:15-19; Isa. 40:6-8; Matt. 5:5, 43-48; 6:33; 11:28-30; Luke 6:35; Rom. 12:12-18; 15:13; 2 Cor. 5:6-10; Gal. 5:22-23; 6:7-10; Eph. 4:26; Heb. 11:1, 6; Jas. 1:9-12, 19-20; 2:14-20; 4:10; 1 Pet.1:24-2:4; 2:22-24; 5:6-11)

II. Only the One true and perfect God will justly judge our imperfect world; so we must be content in Him (Vv. 12-26)

a. Only by trusting in God to justly judge and sovereignly reign over our existence can we be content no matter how much or how little we have, and even when life seems out of control and unfair. Then we trust that God sees the wicked for who they are and will bring them to an end, often at the own hands by their own sin. We can also trust that God understands what we’re going through, even better than we do, and that even though the wicked seem to prosper by taking what’s not theirs, God will be faithful to provide exactly what we need, when we need it, so that we can be generous to give. We can rest peacefully and walk contently in life knowing that God has established our steps and stops according to His perfect plan and purposes, and that we can even be content in our failures and missteps, because God will faithfully pick us up when we fall and hold our hand along the rough paths of life. Like David, when we trust in God’s faithfulness and commit our lives to Him, we can see the clear evidence of His perfect provision in our lives and the lives of others, and be content in knowing that no matter what we face or what our needs are, God will provide. (Vv. 12-26; Ps. 1:6; 2:1-5; 7:14-16; 31:7-8, 15; 34:21; 35:8; 119:133; Prov. 15:16, 29; 16:8-9; Matt. 6:11; 14:14-21; Luke 6:38; Rom. 12:19-21; 2 Cor. 4:7-12; 6:1-10; Phil 4:6-7, 11-13; Col. 3:12-13; Jude 24; Rev. 6:9-11)

III. Only the One true and perfect God will justly judge our imperfect world; so we must live righteously today and take the long view of existence (Vv. 27-40)

a. God calls us to live righteously and do good so that we’ll bind in Him forever. The righteous do good and speak wisdom because the law of God is in their heart. The only way the law of God can abide in the human heart and produce a righteous life is for the heart to be regenerated through faith in Person and work of Jesus. The heart refers to the totality of our minds, emotions, conscience, and will. Our regenerate hearts are drawn to God’s life giving and sanctifying Word and are continually renewed to see and act on the long view of God’s eternal faithfulness. Then no matter how established and successful the wicked seem, we know we can trust that God will judge them, and provide the strength, help, and deliverance we need today and forever. (Vv. 24-40; Deut. 6:6-9; Ps. 1:1-3; 40:8; 119:9-16; Prov. 16:25; Matt. 7:24-27; Mark 10:29-30; John 14:27; 16:33; 17:17; Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:17, 21; Jas. 1:21-22)