though he falls

Posted on June 4, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:21-24

Psalm 37:21 The wicked person borrows and does not repay, but the righteous one is gracious and giving.

Psalm 37:22 Those who are blessed by Yahveh will inherit the land, but those cursed by him will be destroyed.

Psalm 37:23 A person’s steps are established by Yahveh, and he enjoys his journey.

Psalm 37:24 Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because Yahveh supports him with his hand.

though he falls

I saw him fall, and it was spectacular. I was hiking the Appalachian Trail, and was joined by a section hiker who had a few days of vacation. He was up ahead of me about fifty yards. We were hiking a rough trail in the north-east, with lots of rocky spots. Suddenly, I saw the man twist around in mid-air, and then land on something. He had realized he was falling, and turned around so that he would not land on his face. After I caught up with him, I saw how dangerous that spot had been. If the man had not turned around so that his pack landed first, he could have been severely hurt. As it is, he brushed himself off, checked his pack, and went on.

When I read this passage this morning, I thought of that hiker. He knew he was liable to fall, and had planned what he would do when it happened.

God’s word for us is to enjoy our journey, even though we might fall. God’s supporting hands are there.

Lord, we don’t ask for an uneventful journey. We know that even the falls can be opportunities for us to experience your loving care.

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destined to disappear

Posted on June 3, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:20

Psalm 37:20 But the wicked will perish; Yahveh’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures, will disappear– they will disappear like smoke.

destined to disappear

A pasture looks beautiful and limitless, but it is eventually consumed by hungry beasts. Its glory is a sight to behold. But it is not permanent. The psalmist used this simile to remind his readers that God’s enemies are not immortal. They will not be kept in some corner of God’s universe forever. Their destiny is to disappear. But the saved will inherit the land. Their destiny is to be with the Lord forever.

Lord, thank you for the promise of permanent life.

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Faith that outlasts bad times

Posted on June 2, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:18-19

Psalm 37:18 Yahveh watches over the blameless all their days, and their inheritance will last permanently.

Psalm 37:19 They will not be disgraced in times of adversity; they will be satisfied in days of hunger.

Faith that outlasts bad times

The psalmist didn’t say that the blameless would never lose something that mattered to them. He said that they would not lose their inheritance permanently.

The psalmist didn’t say that the blameless would never see adversity. Adversity is a given in this evil age, but disgrace is not. Hunger may happen, but satisfaction in the goodness of the Lord will never be lacking.

Lord, thank you for a faith that outlasts bad times.

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the little is better

Posted on June 1, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:16-17

Psalm 37:16 The little that the righteous person has is better than the abundance of many wicked people

Psalm 37:17 because the arms of the wicked will be broken, but Yahveh supports the righteous.

the little is better

Having a bunch of stuff seems to be the life’s goal of some. But what good is an armload of precious things, if your arms are going to be broken so you can no longer hold them? What good is an abundance that is doomed to be lost – destroyed along with your own soul?

Our journey is a difficult one, so it is best that we travel light, and enjoy the little that our Master gives us for that journey. My experience as a hiker has taught me that more is too much. The little is better than the abundance, and is appreciated all the more because of its scarcity.

Lord, thank you for providing just what we need.

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locked and loaded

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:14-15

Psalm 37:14 The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the bow to bring down the poor and needy and to slaughter those whose journey is upright.

Psalm 37:15 Their swords will enter their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

locked and loaded

If the psalmist were writing today, he would have probably used the phrase “locked and loaded” to describe an enemy prepared to fire on the helpless and holy. About 1000 years ago, the weapons of destruction were the sword and bow.

Other than that, the sentiment expressed in this section is very up-to-date. Many of God’s people feel they are targets of abuse, misrepresentation, oppression, and violence. We feel this way not in spite of our faith, but because of it.

God’s word of encouragement for us is that he knows what is happening, and those weapons locked and loaded will not achieve their purpose. Instead, the Lord will redirect those weapons to harm the ones who wield them.

Lord, thank you for being sovereign over our situation.

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the day of reckoning is coming

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:12-13

Psalm 37:12 The wicked person schemes against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him.

Psalm 37:13 The Lord laughs at him because he sees that his day is coming.

the day of reckoning is coming

The psalmist reveals two glimpses of the world behind the scenes. In the first, the wicked person reveals his duplicity and anger toward the righteous. However much the unbeliever claims to represent fairness and honesty, accompanying their rebellion against God’s truth is a hatred of God’s people and secret plans to ruin or destroy them. This may not be true of every unbeliever all the time. What the psalmist is saying is that there is hidden conspiracy and animosity among unbelievers.

When those schemes are hatched in secret, God is listening, and laughs. He laughs because he has the power to thwart the schemes – to rescue his people. But even if – in his wisdom – he chooses not to intervene against the wicked in that particular case, there will be a day of reckoning.

I recently read John Grisham’s amazing novel – The Reckoning. I don’t want to give away too much of the story. It is about how secrets rocked a community, wrecked a family, and caused the deaths of four people.

Lord, give us all the wisdom to stay true to you, because the day of reckoning is coming.

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not be there

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:10-11

Psalm 37:10 A little while, and the wicked person will be no more; though you look out for him, he will not be there.

Psalm 37:11 But the humble will inherit the land and will enjoy abundant prosperity.

not be there

The Bible nowhere promises the wicked an eternal life. Nor does it suggest that in the afterlife a person can change his mind and reverse his fate. Instead, the Bible clearly tells us that God will win the battle with rebellion by destroying it. At some point in the future, the wicked person will be no more.

Those who humble themselves and repent will inherit the land – a phrase that speaks to an eternal destiny that the wicked will not share.

Lord, thank you for the promise of eternal life – a promise that is exclusively ours in Christ.

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giving up my rage

Posted on May 28, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:8-9

Psalm 37:8 Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be furious – it can only bring harm

Psalm 37:9 because evildoers will be destroyed, but those who put their hope in Yahveh will inherit the land.

giving up my rage

Okay, here we go again. I don’t plan these passages. They just come in sequence. But I opened today’s text and this is what I encountered. And I have been angry all morning.

There are three reasons that the LORD is telling ME to stop being angry here. All three of those reasons apply to my particular situation. So, here is how the message of this text applies to me today.

  1. My anger has been bringing harm to me and those I encounter. It has not helped me. I need to let it go because it is harmful, not helpful.
  2. I have been treated unfairly by many – some who thought they were doing the right thing, others who have intentionally done wrong. But this passage tells me that God is going to eventually sort that all out. He is going to destroy evildoers. That’s not my job; it’s his. My anger is not necessary for justice to be done.
  3. I may be frustrated with what is going on right now, but if I belong to God, I will eventually see total satisfaction. In biblical terms – I will inherit the land. Eternity is certain, and my anger has no part to play in that destiny.

Lord, forgive me for feeling anger. I choose to give it up. I choose to let you fight my battles.

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my journey in his hands

Posted on May 27, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:5-7

Psalm 37:5 Commit your journey to Yahveh; trust in him, and he will act,
Psalm 37:6 making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday.
Psalm 37:7 Be silent before Yahveh and wait expectantly for him; do not be furious because of one who prospers in his journey, by the person who carries out evil plans.

my journey in his hands

It just so happens that the day I sat down to meditate on this text, I am faced with a major life decision that will affect where I go and what I do for the next few years. I do not take that as a coincidence. This text does not make my decisions for me, but it does give me guidance. Just reading it reminds me that there is more at stake than what I want. It is still my journey, but when I commit my journey to God, he promises to act on my behalf.

Lord, my journey is in your hands. My standard will not be the prosperity of someone else’s journey. I choose to be a light to this world, displaying righteousness and justice.

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trust and enjoy

Posted on May 26, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 37:3-4

Psalm 37:3 Trust in Yahveh and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely.

Psalm 37:4 Enjoy Yahveh, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

trust and enjoy

The previous section warned that there are going to be wrongdoers who prosper and believers will be tempted to treat them as enemies or to envy them. But it suggested that believers look on that prosperity as temporary.

In this section, we are told to trust God instead. Instead of focusing on those who appear to be enjoying life without God, we are told to enjoy him. Cultivating a relationship with God gets us a head start on eternity. As we do so, we will begin experiencing blessings that cannot be taken away.

Lord, today we choose to trust your promises and enjoy your presence.

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