Psalm 37

Psalm xxxvii. is very distinctly in connection with the display of the direct government of God in this world, as it will be made good when the meek shall inherit the land and the wicked be cut off. We have already seen that the epistles of Peter especially furnish to us the application of this to the christian estate as far as it is so applicable. The beginning of Matthew v. gives us also, only with a much fuller evangelical character, though not going farther than the kingdom of heaven, the application in the way of promise, as far as the temper pleasing to God goes. But there are some most interesting’ and instructive exhortations in the psalm as to the spirit in which the believer is to walk and the character of his confidence in God in the midst of the evil which surrounds him. For though the time of the direct display of God’s government be not come, and no doubt the power of evil will be displayed more oppressively just before it is put down, still it is even now the time of patience, and the evil is there. Till Christ comes, it is in principle the evil day, and the patience and kingdom of Jesus Christ go together in the heart — not His own kingdom and glory. They are all founded on the certainty that after all Jehovah is above all the evil, loves judgment, does not forget the righteous and those who trust in Him, and that, in the end, His way would have the upper hand. Meanwhile, faith is exercised and all thai is in the heart judged, which would, by selfwill, mar the spiritual character and hinder the confidence hi the Lord which becomes the saint.

The first exhortation is to peacefulness of spirit, (and it is general and applies to the state of the mind.) “Fret nut, ihyself.” When self will ami the desire of present satisfaction mingles itself with the love of righteousness, when one desires righteousness and partly, sometimes, through fear of the power of evil, and is selfish though peacedoving interests, one is apt to fret oneself, because evil has its way. All this is the same spirit unbelief as that of the wicked — God hath forgotten — though with other desires. lint it is unbelief and selfwill. The wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God. We are neither to fret, which is distrust; nor be envious, which is even worse and self-interest. Then comes the positive direction in what spirit we are to walk. What is the resource against the power of evil? “Trust in Jehovah and do good.” You will reap the fruit of it according to promise. Next, delight thyself in Jehovah: lie will give the desires of the heart. Holy desires, which have Himself for their object, will be satisfied. But opposition, shame, perhaps calumny, is there. ;- Commit thy way to Jehovah.” How true is this! He has always, as nun speak, the last word if we have only faith to wait for it. Ee will bring the result the righteous heart desires and make evident its righteousness. Next, patient waiting for Jehovah in heart and desire, the surest character of trust. Circumstances may thus be in turmoil around one — violence and efforts. The soul waits for Jehovah’s coming in when lie will. The wicked may prosper; Jehovah has His own time, a time which is always right and sets all light. He may chasten for good, have plans bringing to maturity, patience Himself with the wicked, His own glory to bring out, which is our everlasting joy. Hence, no anger, no wrath, no fretting, no uneasiness. It leads to doing evil, indulging our own will in evil to meet evil. This is not the patience and faith of the saints. Evil doers shall be cut off (the saint must not be among the number). They that wait on Jehovah shall inherit the earth. So of the meek, so of such as are blessed of Jehovah. This is Jewish undoubtedly, but as we have seen, the government of God is still exercised, though not in public manifestation; and when the soul has waited on Him in patience, it has its blessing even here. The latter part of the psalm is a careful declaration of this sure government of the earth to be publicly manifested in connexion with the Jews, more secretly carried on in the time of heavenly grace — still ever true. There are one or two points of blessing to note in it. The steps of a good man are ordered by Jehovah. This is a vast and precious blessing, to think that in this wilderness, where there is no way in the midst of confusion and wickedness, our Father directs our steps. A young Christian may, in confiding zeal, not so much see the value of this, but through how many experiences will he pass? But wdien one has seen the world, its snares, what a pathless wilderness of evil it is, it is beyond all price that the Lord directs our steps. Also the humble young Christian is directed through grace, if he waits on the Lord, though he may not see the wisdom of it, nor the greatness of the privilege and mercy, till afterwards. But this is not all. Being so directed, the path is a good, a divine path. There is indeed no other, and the heart is directed in it. For the Christian is led by the spirit of God. His heart is in the ways; as Moses says, Show me tlty way, not a way, hut thy, that I may know thee. If I know a person’s ways, I know him. God leads by His Spirit acting on and in the inner man and the word sanctifies. Then God has delight in the saint’s way. He delights hi seeing a divine path trodden by a man in this world of evil. This Christ did perfectly and God delighted in it. So far as we follow Him, the Lord delights in our way, has positive delight in it. It meets His heart.

Remark that there is no way but Christ. Adam did not need a way: lie had to abide, enjoying God’s goodness where he was. In a sinful world there is no way — all is confusion and sin. Bat Christ was Himself, according to God, in the world, and in passing through it manifesting divine life and its path through the world when not of it. This was a wholly new thing, partially manifested in every saint in his walk i if faith; but existing in itself and perfectly manifested in Ihrist. This is our path. We have to follow His steps and Be is the way to the Father, and it is to Him avc aiv going. It is an immense privilege to think our steps are ordered of the Lord, as a guarding from evil and guidance: and, then, that the Lord delights in our way. What a path in a world like this: How fast should we hold it, and seek none else, and seek to keep it! Here the [precepts, as in Col. iii.. or Eph. iv. v., come so preciously in. There is another mercy — God watches over him. He may fall, i.e., in trials, not carnally, (comp. 2 Cor. iv. 9 and following-,) but he is not utterly cast dcwn; the Lord upholds him by His hand. It may be a part of this government of God that he should be brought low, set aside, but the Lord’s hand is in it, not he out of it, and that hand upholds him. The vessel may be broken or put to dishonour by men, the power is of God.

There is a moral reason for God’s way s — He loves judgment; besides that, there is the assurance of sovereign love. He loves his saints. They are preserved for ever: but, then, according to the ways of this judgment, we have besides some traits of the righteous. He speaks wisdom, that is, the mind of God; and talks of judgment, the uprightness of the divine ways in God’s sight, how God judges of right and wrong; his heart is in the walking in God’s known will: his steps will not slide. We have then to wait on the Lord, and to keep His way. The end of the perfect and uprightness is peace. And so it is, practically, with a Christian; he may be chastened for particular faults, for God’s ways are, through mercy, unbending and right; but when a man walks with upright purpose of heart in his life, that life closes — if it close this side of glory — in peace. The fear of God and walking in His presence is a great means of peace. I speak not of peace for a sinner’s conscience through the precious blood of Christ, but the peace of God filling the heart when all comes before Him. Finally, the Lord is the strength of the righteous in the time of trouble. That cannot fail.

He shall help and deliver them, save them from their enemies because they trust in Him. This is always true.