Psalm 37 – Do Not Fret
Does it sometimes feel like evil is prevailing, the wicked prosper and the good suffer? If so, read Psalm 37 – do not fret – and you will find an antidote to all of the pessimism and negativity in our world.
Psalm 37
Psalm 37 is an acrostic wisdom poem. We hear a series of verses in proverb form, repeating how good will prevail over evil. The psalm begins with reminders not to worry about those who do wrong because, like the grass, they will wither away and die.
“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” (1-2)
The writer then goes on to talk about the importance of trusting in God and doing good. The rewards of this are many:
“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.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” (3-6)
The writer continues to encourage:
“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.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.” (7-9)
Again we hear the counsel “do not fret” repeated.
The Fate of the Wicked
The writer goes back and forth between encouragement for the righteous and warnings for the wicked. This pattern repeats throughout the psalm. The wicked continuously fail.
“A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.” (10-15)
“But the wicked will perish: Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.” (20-22)
“I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.” (35-36)
The Fate of the Righteous
Meanwhile the righteous prevail:
“The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.
In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.” (18-19)
“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.” (23-24)
“The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.
The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.” (30-31)
“Hope in the Lord and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.” (34)
The psalm ends with this couplet, summing up all that has been said:
“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.” (39-40)
Why would anyone want to follow in the ways of the wicked after reading this!
Psalm 37 – Do not Fret
We are reminded in Psalm 37 – do not fret. It is repeated three times. To fret is to worry. As an Olympian, Gold-Medal, worrier, I need this psalm. Worry is my birth right. I was born sucking on my thumb (or at least I think I was), a sign of anxiety, and I’ve been a worrier ever since then. In fact, the thought that there are some people who actually don’t worry is beyond my ability to comprehend. What do they do with their time if they are not worrying? It occurs to me that they marry people like me to do their worrying for them. Just think of all the free time I would have if I could stop fretting.
This is a psalm for me to mark in bright yellow and return to every day. I need its words of reassurance that evil will not prevail and that God/good will prevail.
What about you? Are you a worrier or are you able to let anxiety roll of your back like water over a duck? If the later, I would love to hear how you do it.
(For another take on this psalm, see Psalm 37 – Good Things Come to those Who Wait! – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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