We continue with looking at Psalm 37, and today particularly thinking about verses 20 to 40.
The themes and the lessons to be learnt are similar to those we saw yesterday when looking at the first half of the Psalm.But, perhaps in this 2nd half the contrast between ‘the wicked’ and ‘the righteous’ is more obviously spelt out in some of these verses, both in the way that they each behave; but also that for the wicked their power is finite and their days are numbered, but for the righteous the Lord watches over them and protects them.
There is a turning of the tables here, an “upside downness” (if there is such a phrase
) where the world’s usual ways are turned on their head, and good overcomes evil and triumphs. However, sometimes we have to wait for this to happen, and trust the Lord whilst we do.
I was first introduced to this Psalm a long time ago actually as part of a sermon series on the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapter 5 verses 1 to 12), and specifically Jesus’ teaching, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.’ (Matthew Ch.5 v.5).And you might have noticed that this very closely lines up with verse 11 of this Psalm, ‘But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace’, but other references to inheriting the land can be found in vs.22, 29 and 34.There is an “upside downness” in the Beatitudes as well as much of Jesus’ other teaching, for example ‘the first will be last and the last will be first’.
And of course we see this in the life and experience of Jesus Himself, the ultimate righteous man, who was put to death by wicked men and yet conquered death and rose again; and it is in Him that we are ultimately made righteous and will indeed inherit the land.
Let us reflect on these great truths of the kingdom today and hang on to them in our hearts.
In our prayer cycle, let us remember in our prayers 2 who have started worshipping with us more recently,- Jeanette- Ben