#DailyDevotion Trust The LORD Jesus Christ & You Will Change Your Ways
Psalm 37 20 But the wicked will perish; the LORD’s enemies will vanish like the glory of the meadows; they will vanish in smoke.
When afflicted by the wicked or watching them succeed in their wickedness and this makes you upset, this is something good to remember. They are the LORD’s enemies. They will not get the upper hand against the LORD. They are fighting a losing battle. Eventually the LORD will act against them. Then they will perish. Like the flowers in the meadows that are here today and gone tomorrow so shall they all be. Like smoke we may see, they vanish in the air. Sometimes it’s hard to see this because we don’t pay attention to them and their fate and they are often quickly replaced by another. They will not gain advantage against the LORD and His people.
21A wicked man borrows and doesn’t pay back, but a righteous man is kind and gives. 22If the LORD blesses you, you will own the land, but if He curses you, you will be cut down.
Verse 21 sets up verse 22. These blessings and curses are from the Torah the LORD gave to Moses. On the one hand, if you borrow something you should return it, in good shape. If you don’t, that is stealing and calls down the LORD’s curse upon you. If you trust the LORD, then you are righteous. If you are righteous then, you do not fear not having enough if you are kind and give to others in need. He has promised if we live this way we will never lack anything. In Proverbs 15 it is written, “If you oppress the poor, you insult his Maker, but if you’re kind to the poor, you honor Him.” In Proverbs 20 it is written, “When you’re kind to the poor, you lend to the LORD, and He’ll pay you back for what you do.” Jesus promised the rich young man if he sold all he had and gave to the poor, he would have treasure in heaven if he followed Him. How much more when we who are already following Jesus will have treasure in heaven if we also give to the poor? Have no fear in giving your wealth away. When the LORD blesses you, you will own the land in the New Heaven and New Earth.
23The LORD makes a man walk firmly and He is pleased with his way. 24He may fall but will not be thrown down because the LORD’s hand holds him.
Many translations like the ESV translate this, “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;…” On the one hand it may sound like God is guiding every person’s step in life so our fates are already sealed. In some sense this may be true. One question may be who is which pronoun in the second half of the verse. If the one who is pleased in the second half is the righteous man and the way is the LORD’s, this makes a lot of sense. For if we are pleased with the LORD’s way, the LORD will most certain make us walk firmly. It is His path we are walking on. Even if we stumble on it, the LORD keeps us from being thrown down entirely. If the referents of the pronouns are switched, then this cannot be any man in the first half of the verse. This is the blessed man from the previous verses. Such a one who is kind and gives to the poor, his steps are established by the LORD and his way pleases the LORD because it is the way of the LORD towards us.
Heavenly Father, grant us faith that trusts in all Your promises so we may not be stingy like the wicked, but generous towards the poor so we may receive your blessing and be established in Your way unto life eternal. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.