Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself 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 righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men 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. Psalm 37:3-8
This Psalm is one of my favorite and includes one of my favorite verses. The entire Psalm is a contrast between the Good … what they sow and reap … and the wicked … what they sow and reap. On this February 14th, a day dedicated to the contents of our heart, note these verses from Psalm 37:
· Trust in the Lord v. 3
Trust is defined as “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence”. The Psalmist urges us to have trust or confidence in the Lord. He urges us to rely and depend on Him and His faithfulness. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Proverbs 3:5
· Delight in the Lord … He will give you the desires of you heart v. 4
Delight can be used as both a verb and noun. In one case meaning, ”to please (someone) greatly” and in another meaning, “to take great pleasure in”. He should be the supreme object of our affection and should express that affection by living in a way pleasing to Him. I had my children memorize this verse. I try to quote it to my grandchildren often. A happy and contented life is one that so “delights” in the Lord that His desires become their desires. Otherwise, we end up chasing fleeting desires.
· Commit your way to the Lord v. 5
To commit is to fully dedicate one’s self to something or someone. The Psalmist declares that someone is the Lord. John Maxwell’s quote expresses the idea of commitment well, “Until I am committed, there is a hesitancy, a chance to draw back. But the moment I definitely commit myself, then God moves also, and a whole stream of events erupt. All manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings, persons and material assistance which I could never have dreamed would come my way and begin to flow toward me. . . THE MOMENT I MAKE A COMMITMENT”. Well said Mr. Maxwell!
· Be Still before the Lord v. 7 … Wait patiently for Him v. 7
A phrase my mother had to repeat to me often in my childhood … BE STILL! The virtue of patience and being still has often eluded me. I hear there is a clothing company by the name of BE STILL. No it’s not mine, but it could have been at one time. The years have taught me to heed the Psalmist words, “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
I pray these virtues fill your heart as you worship Him, serve Him and share Him with those who desperately need Him.
David Archer
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