Psalm 37:1-8 A Psalm of David. 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.
Is it any wonder why people are more fearful these days? They look around and see chaos where there once was calmness. One only look at major cities and see the homeless population. Crime is up, jobs are down, and prices are escalating! All this doom and gloom can be overwhelming to some. So what exactly does one do when the cares of this world seem to take over one’s life? The Bible has all the answers, especially to believers!
The remedy for fear is clearly depicted in today’s Bible passage. There’s a clear outline and I laid it out for you in today’s graphic. The word “fret” starts off our “don’t do’s,” but what exactly does that word mean? I thought it meant not to worry, but not according to Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.
To be agitated; to be in violent commotion; as the rancor that frets in the malignant breast.
To be vexed; to be chafed or irritated; to be angry; to utter peevish expressions. “He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground.
Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary
This definition is not what I expected at all. So God tells His child not to get agitated or have violent disturbances over seeing the sinner prosper. I can think of several circumstances of this type of agitation in my own circle of friends and acquaintances. How does God respond to this? In the very next verse, He tells us that their end will come and they will be cut down. No matter how bad life gets as a result of the evildoers, their time will come. People who give into their fears usually develop anxiety and mental illness. So is it any wonder that from 2007 to 2017, there was a 13% increase in mental health conditions? If you let it go far enough, it can literally disable you!
There has been a 13% rise in mental health conditions and substance use disorders in the last decade (to 2017). Mental health conditions now cause 1 in 5 years lived with disability.
World health organization
The next remedy is to “trust in the Lord”! Proverbs 3:5-6 is an excellent piece of advice from David’s own son, Solomon. There is nothing that happens that God has not already given the “go ahead.” He has allowed the circumstances in your life for a reason: (1) to grow you spiritually, or (2) to teach you a lesson. The conclusion to either one should be to trust Him.
We then come to a somewhat odd remedy and that is to delight oneself in the Lord. Noah Webster said: “Delight is a more permanent pleasure than joy, and not dependent on sudden excitement.” When one has the joy of the Lord in their hearts, one delights in Him. When we delight in Him, He will bless you with the desires of your heart. The desires He gives you will most certainly be according to His will for you.
Committing your way has more emphasis than trust. It means you have no doubt that God will handle whatever situation you have placed in His care. You have entrusted God because you know for a fact that He will provide the answer and fulfill your need according to His will. He is your Jehovah Jireh. (Genesis 22:14) Just as God provided a sacrifice to Abraham to replace Isaac, so will God provide you with what you will need for every situation when you commit your way to Him. Committing to God brings with it a sense of surety knowing without a doubt that God will handle it.
The next remedy is to “Rest in the LORD”! Oh Reader, have you rested in the Lord? Rest is to stop, to be quiet; free of any disturbances in your life. It’s a time of complete reconciliation with God. Jesus told us about this rest in Matthew 11:28. There is no rest for the unbeliever because he has a God-shaped hole in his heart that has been filled with the cares of this world. But to the believer, we can rest in the fact that God’s Word is never wrong! Amen?
Then we are given a gentle reminder not to fret. This ends the remedy. However, now begins the application. No remedy is able to perform its cure if it is never taken or applied. If you’re a believer, you have everything you need at your fingertips.
If you are not truly born-again, there is coming a time when it will be too late for you to repent and be saved. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab You Can Be Born Again and Know It!
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