“Do Not Fret–It Only Causes Harm”

(Psalm 37:1-9)

 

Introduction.  (Psalm 37:1-9)  This morning I’d like for us to look for a few minutes at the first few verses of this Psalm to consider the admonitions and encouragement which it offers. 

[Note: Several weeks ago Adam touched on some elements of this Psalm when he talked about the promise in the beatitudes of “inheriting the earth (or land)”].

 

I.   “Do not fret… (vs. 1).  Heb.  charah  “to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled” (Gesenius).  Again in vs. 8 (as we will consider latter.  Over…

A.  “Evildoers”  (vs. 1a).  All around us in this world there are times in which we come in contact with those that could fit into this category. 

            •  The car repair man that cheats us.

            •  The employer that takes advantage of us.

            •  The neighbor that is inconsiderate of us.

            •  The person we know who does whatever they please and yet never has to face any consequences.

            ————While we try to live our lives and do what is right and can never seem to get ahead.

                        The idea here is not “righteous indignation” or anxiety for the spiritual condition of the person.  This is clear because of the next phrase…

B.  “Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity” (vs. 1b).

            What in the world would make us “envy” such people?  We know -

            •  On the day of judgment the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8).

            •  The wicked will be like the goats separated from the sheep and asigned everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46).

            •  Those who obey unrighteousness will receive “indignation and wrath” (Romans 2:8).

            ——— But even so, we look at them now and have a tendency to feel as if something just isn’t fair!  cf. (Luke 15:25-30).  He was angry!  He was envious -  “Where is my fatted calf?”  

                        The Lord tells us in this Psalm “don’t be that way.”  Because of one clear and frightening fact - their fate. 

C.  “They shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”  Example:  Leaf damage in yard.  Planted spring grass.  Early summer full, thick and green.  Late, dry summer - it withered.  It may die!

            ——— The ungodly are like that grass.  They flourish, they are full and beautiful, but they don’t have what it will take to endure.

           

            ——— In the next few verses the Lord offers a better course than “fretting” and “envy.”  Let’s note four steps we should take.

 

II.  The Way of the Righteous.

A.  Trust (vs. 3).  Heb. batach  “trust in, to have confidence, to be bold, to be secure” (Gesenius).  Note: “And do good.” 

            ———  That is not always easy.  Doing good doesn’t always pay off in the way that we might want it to. 

            •  It doesn’t spare us from hardship. 

            •  It doesn’t always offer us encouragement.

            •  It doesn’t always satisfy what we think (or feel like) we need.

            ——— We lose confidence in the Lord when we forget what He has already done!  Note:

1.  “…Feed on His faithfulness.”  Example:  Isaac -  grew up in the former Soviet Union.  Imprisoned by the KGB.  He has known poverty.  He has known persecution.  In the US he has seen a nation that throws away what other nations would beg to have.  He once saw some bakery vendors throwing doughnuts away -- he told me that he thinks God will not forgive such waste!

            •  I have never gone hungry.

            •  I have never been without a roof over my head.

            •  I have never been in a circumstance where I had no way to earn a living.

            •  I have never been without those who loved and cared for my soul as well as my physical condition.

            •  More than all of that -- I have never been without the knowledge that there is a God in heaven that loves me and wants me to go to heaven! 

            ——— Why should I fret?  Why should I envy the life of those driving full speed towards hell?

B.  Delight (vs. 4).  Heb. ‘anag “to be happy about, take exquisite delight” (Gesenius).  In what sense should we “delight” in the Lord? 

1.  Eliphaz advice to Job.  (Job 22:20-26).  Although Eliphaz was mistaken in blaming Job with sin, notice how he describes the idea of “delighting” in the Lord.  Let Him be your gold!

2.  God’s advice to Judah. (Isaiah 58:13,14)  Note:  Begins in 56:1 “Thus says the Lord”  -  Although we are not under the Sabbath law consider what the Lord illustrates here -- delighting in the Lord is contrasted with taking pleasure in our own ways.

3.  Promise -  “He shall give you the desires of your heart” (vs. 4b).  In this life - (Ecclesiastes 1:8)  In the age to come - (Romans 8:32).

            ——— The wicked don’t have such a promise!  They are like grass.  They will be cut down.  Why envy them?

C.  Commit (vs. 5).  Heb.  galal al  actually two words gol “roll” al “on” - connected to the following word - name of God - Yaweh (or Jehovah).  So “roll onto the Lord.” 

            Illustration:  Bunk beds - top bunk is a long fall.  If your brother or parent said “roll off - I’ll catch you” you’re taking a risk!  If the person is trustworthy - no risk.  If it is a mischievous brother -  a great risk!  With God there is no risk.

            Illustration:  Hospital bed - roll into arms of orderlies.

1.  “Your way”  The course of your life.  Two respects:

            •  How you live. -- Like a Christian.  You act like Christ.  You shun sin.  You seek spiritual things.

            •  The things that happen to you in life.  -- Here is where the problems come.  Why?  We think we know what we don’t know.  Example: Childhood dream to live in leanto in Canada for two years.  Life turned out different.  I could waste my entire future in regrets over the fact that life gave me a different future than I imagined as a ten year old boy -- or I can “roll onto the Lord.”

2.  “Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass.” (vs. 5b).  Note:  Most translations provide in italics “it”  NIV “this” connecting it to the promise in vs. 4).  Heb.  ‘asah lit. “work”  Jay Green in his literal interlinear - “He will work.” 

            ——— This is not a promise that God will make our vision of our “way” come about just as we envision it.  But it is a promise that God will work on our behalf. 

            ———That may mean something quite different from what we expect.  Maybe better.  Maybe harder.  But, through whatever comes “roll onto the Lord” - Trust Him and he will work!

3.  “He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light…” vs. 6).  When we do what God asks us to we can confidently trust that one day our service to Him will shine forth.  (I Corinthians 4:5).  

D.  Rest (vs. 7a).  Heb.  damam  lit. “to be silent”  This is not ceasing from work - but instead ceasing from speech.  That kind of speech that comes from the need we have to dictate our own course and our own will.  Example:  When an aggressive and assertive person grows older - can’t always take charge as they once did -- they must be quiet and let those who can take care of them do so.

            ——— We must do the same with God.  Not just when we grow older, but throughout our lives.

            1.  “Wait patiently for Him”  As we grow in our service to the Lord we can not escape the recognition of what a crucial virtue that that patience is in the Christian life.  Consider…

            •  We must wait patiently for the Lord’s return.

            •  We must wait patiently on the Lord when needs that we have in life appear to go unfulfilled.

            •  We must waith patiently on the Lord when we face hardships that don’t seem to go away.

            •  We must wait patiently on the Lord when others wrong us and yet seem to prosper.

            •  We must wait patiently on the Lord when we don’t understand why He asks something of us.  We must “Be silent, and wait…”

 

III.  Anger, Wrath & Fretting (vs. 7b - 8).  In English seem different - in Heb. all similar ideas. 

A.  “…Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way…” (vs. 7b).

            The psalmist returns to this problem of looking at the wicked and being disturbed by their apparant prosperity.  There are three things that this can cause and all of them must cease…

B.  “Cease from anger” (vs. 8a)  Heb. ’aph  lit. “nostril, nose, face”  - There is an unavoidable connection between the expression of the face and the churning of the heart.  Don’t let the wicked effect you this way.

C.  “Forsake wrath” (vs. 8b).  Heb.  chemah  “Heat, rage, -- fever, venom, poison.” Leave that behind.  Remember we must be busy trusting, and delighting in God, Committing (i.e. rolling) our cares upon Him, Resting (i.e. being quiet) waiting patiently for the Lord.

D.  “Do not fret--it only causes harm.” (vs. 8c).  KJV - “fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”  Virtually all of the newer translations see a cause-effect here.  The mental turmoil caused by being upset over the wicked can lead to sin (in the worst extreme) and at the very least it robs us of the peace of mind that God would have us to possess.

 

Conclusion.  (Psalm 37:9).  Note:  It is utter foolishness to envy, fret, become angry over the way of the wicked.  Sure we should have concern.  We should want to bring them to the truth - but is makes no sense to allow our reaction to them to hurt our own relationship to God because - “They will be cut off”  -  idea of destruction, separation from God’s care.  Illustration: Wealthy heir who refuses to meet conditions of their inheritance is “cut off”  -- compare to eternal separation from the blessings of God.