Do Not Fret
37 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. 7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. 18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. 22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. 28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. 33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Do Not Fret
Psalm 37 continues the major themes found in the previous Psalms. David goes on in greater detail to warn the wicked that God will judge and punish them for their evil works. Alternatively, he assures the righteous of God’s protection, mercy and everlasting love. David tells the people of God not to fret nor envy the evil doers because they will be cut down like the green grass. If they trust in the Lord and continue to do good, they will dwell in the land. Rather than focus on the works of the wicked, they should delight in the Lord and He will fulfill their hearts’ desires. David further instructs the righteous to commit to the Lord. Then he will bring forth their righteousness to shine as a light for all to see. They can then rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Again, David assures the righteous that there is no need to fret because of the “man who bringeth wicked devices to pass” (v.7).
David even says they should not be angry against such enemies. Evil doers shall be cut off, but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth. David seems to be speaking prophetically about the new heaven and new earth, when God’s people will reign with Jesus. Again, he declares the fate of the wicked. “Yet a little while and the wicked shall not be” (v.10). As Jesus repeats in his sermon on the mount, the meek shall inherit the Earth. David provides further descriptions of the wicked in comparison to believers. The wicked attack and gnaw on the vulnerable. But God laughs at them, for he seeth that his day is coming. As David often states, the exploits of the wicked shall be turned against themselves. Their bows will turn on them. The righteous should not envy the riches of the wicked. A little that he has is better than all the treasures of evil doers. Again, David prophesies that the inheritance of the righteous shall be forever. But the wicked shall perish. “For such that be blessed of him shall inherit the earth. But such that is cursed of him shall be cut off” (v.22). The Lord preserves His saints forever.
The verse that I love the most from this Psalm is, “I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread”(v.25). In these words, I find faith that I can trust in God, who will never leave me nor forsake me. In times of trouble, he is a very present help. He is a faithful God who loves me and tells me to cast my cares on Him. Through the tough times in my life, the joy of the Lord strengthens me. This passage also assures me that all my needs are met. Jesus lovingly said that we don’t have to worry about what we will eat or what clothes to wear. God cares more for us than the birds of the field or the beautifully adorned lilies. I know my heavenly Father is watching over me. The more I experience the life’s sorrows, the more like David I have learned that I am never forsaken.
I would love to hear what this Psalm brings to mind for you! Write back to me in Facebook comment or blog reply.
Disclaimer: The intention of this project is not to teach, but rather to share. Please use due diligence in studying the word of God, and seek guidance from your local religious leaders for any questions or concerns.
Special Thanks to Elizabeth Baber and Dr. Shakira for all that you do to make it happen.
Debra Hill
Debra Hill is an independent inspirational singer, author, songwriter, and writer. As a blind performer, she adds a personal story of God’s faithfulness. Her life exemplifies that Christ’s power will work to lift all regardless of circumstances.
The Psalms In Your Palm Weekly Series
Tune in every Sunday to read a passage of scripture, hear Debra’s personal thoughts on the reading, and then relate and reflect on the words as you write them into your palm and into your heart.
The Psalms In Your Palm Playlist
Each song is paired with a Sunday Psalm and reflection, blending scripture and sound to inspire peace, understanding and connection.
