GROUP GUIDE: Psalm 37:1-11

One of the questions we often ask ourselves is this: How can I live for God in a wicked world? How should I respond to the injustice we live in today? You and I might respond in different ways —perhaps with fear, anger, envy, retaliation, complaints, criticism, or condemnation.

But the question that arises is: How does God want us to respond to the evil in this world? Psalm 37 helps us answer this question: David mentions practical things we should and shouldn't do to respond according to the King's will. This Sunday, we looked at the first 11 verses, and in them we find the answer to how we should respond to a wicked world.

Do not worry and do not be envious.

The first thing we see is that the Psalmist tells us what we shouldn't be doing. We shouldn't be angry or envious of those who don't seek God and seem to be doing very well. The more we worry about others, the more anger and envy arise. David reminds the king's sons that they should not be angry or envious because the happiness that wicked people have is fleeting, "soon it will vanish like grass.”

Trust in God and do good.

The psalm continues and says that instead of worrying and envying the wicked, what we should be doing is trusting in God. It is having faith. Spurgeon said the following: "Faith cures impatience. The eye is cross-eyed and sees things only as they appear, hence its envy; Faith offers a clearer perspective for seeing things as they truly are, hence its peace.” But we must not only trust in God but also do good. Do good to everyone, even those who do evil, and we can do this because we trust in God. We must live trusting in God's faithfulness, recognizing that it is the Lord who provides and sustains us.

Delight in God and commit ourselves to Him.

David also tells us that we should enjoy God. In God, we should find our greatest joy. It is in these moments that He transforms our hearts to be like His own, and it is in these moments that God can answer the desires of our hearts. We must also depend on God and trust that He acts, resting and trusting that God is at work. Verse 6 reminds us that in His time, God will judge and He will bring justice.

Rest and wait in the Lord

Verses 7-8 remind us that we should wait and rest in the Lord. The only thing God wants us to respond to a world that is evil is for us to rest and wait in the Lord. Our king has the last word, and we will see his majesty. He reigns, and it's a matter of time until we see the greatness of our king. We must also let go of any anger that we may have because of the evil of the world, because if we let anger control us, it will lead to evildoing.

Verses 9-11 David reminds us of the end of those who do evil and the end of those who trust in God. May we trust in God and respond to this evil world according to our king. May we trust and rest in God.