1Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4Delight yourself in the LORD
and He will give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in Him and He will do this:
6He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret--it leads only to evil.
9For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.
12The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for He knows their day is coming.
14The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
15But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
17for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure for ever.
19In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20But the wicked will perish:
The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke.
21The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
22those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those He curses will be cut off.
23If the LORD delights in a man's way,
He makes his steps firm;
24though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
25I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.
27Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land for ever.
28For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake His faithful ones.
They will be protected forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;
29the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it for ever.
30The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks what is just.
31The law of his God is in his heart;
his feet do not slip.
32The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;
33but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
34Wait for the LORD and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off,
you will see it.
35I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
36but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.
38But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40The LORD helps them and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in Him.
The bulk of this psalm consists of nine directions to us concerning our response to the fact that the wicked often prosper in this world. That many who are ungodly do prosper in this world is clear to everyone who observes the world. This is a stumbling block to some. They somehow think that God is unfair by allowing the ungodly to gain worldly riches. However, this point of view is superficial; it does not consider "the big picture", as we shall see as we study this psalm.
As the inscription points out, this is a psalm "of David". We learn later in the psalm that David wrote it late in his life (see vs. 25). And so, this psalm is well worth heeding, for it contains the perceptive reflections of a wise, old, godly man: David the king. David was certainly qualified to speak on this subject, for many of the unrighteous people who persecuted David during his lifetime were rich in this world, e.g. Saul, Nabal, Absalom, Ahithophel, etc.
As stated, this psalm contains nine directions to the reader. The first six directions are given in vss. 1 through 8. Then, in vss. 9 through 26, there is an aside which compares the lot of the righteous to that of the wicked. The final three directions are then given in vss. 27 through 40.
1Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4Delight yourself in the LORD
and He will give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in Him and He will do this:
6He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret--it leads only to evil.
Direction I. "Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away" (vss. 1-2). This first statement is not only the first direction in David's psalm, but it also introduces the theme of the entire psalm. The problem that this psalm addresses in its many directions to the reader is that we often are "envious of those who do wrong". We look at our ungodly neighbor relishing in his financial prosperity, and we think, "Why can't I have that, Lord?" What we are forgetting in our envy is the eventual end for our ungodly neighbor: "For like grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away." Is this what we want? Do we want to lose our soul for the sake of a fast car? You see, in many cases, it is precisely his financial prosperity that is keeping our ungodly neighbor from turning to God. He is too busy seeking riches, so he has no time to seek God. He feels confident in his prosperity, so he feels no need to trust God. Before we envy our neighbor, let us first consider the whole package: he has a nice car and a large house; we have eternal life and a grand inheritance through Jesus Christ. You see, envy on our part for our neighbor's worldly success is a sign of a lack of faith on our part in God's faithfulness. By envying our neighbor, we are in effect saying, "I want what my neighbor has now. I do not believe that the eternal riches that God has set aside for me are any better than what my neighbor has in this world."
Rather than being objects of envy, David implies that our ungodly neighbor should be an object of pity and compassion. Read this again: "For like grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away." As Charles Spurgeon put it: "Green grows the grass, but quick comes the scythe."[9]
Direction II. "Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture" (vs. 3). David offers this direction as an alternative to envying your neighbor. If we "trust in the LORD", then we will be assured that God will work everything out in the end: the righteous will prosper; the wicked will be punished. As Paul teaches: "God `will give to each person according to what he has done'. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger" (Rom. 2:6-8). If we "do good" (as David advises), we won't have any time to be so concerned about our neighbor's prosperity! Don't spend all your time examining your neighbor's lot, rather, "dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture". Enjoy your own life, and the abundant blessings that God has showered upon you!
Direction III. "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart" (vs. 4). Here we have a direction and a promise, all rolled into one. A great remedy in envying the wicked is to "delight yourself" in the best thing: "Delight yourself in LORD". Why envy the wicked? They delight themselves in worldly things. They do not even know the best things to delight themselves in. The things they delight in fade away, but the Lord remains forever. And besides, if you "delight yourself in the LORD", then "He will give you the desires of your heart". This is a promise of joy and contentment with our lot. As we "delight [ourselves] in the LORD", the "desires of [our] heart" conform more and more to what the LORD would have us desire, and so He is glad to give us the desires of our heart.
Direction IV. "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun" (vss. 5-6). Literally, in the original language, David is exhorting us to "roll our way upon the LORD", as if to roll a burden off our shoulders onto His. Our lives become simpler if we follow this command. We are not faced with as many dilemmas, because we have resolved that our way is the Lord's way. All other ways are ruled out. And of course, His way is the way of righteousness, so it follows that: "He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."
Direction V. "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes" (vs. 7). This is a seemingly simple direction to follow, for it is a direction to (basically) do nothing: just "be still" and "wait patiently". However, as we all know, it is very difficult to carry out. We all want to rush God. We believe that He has the power to act, so we wonder, "Well, why doesn't He act now?" Of course, we must realize that we cannot see the big picture. God sees all, and knows all, and so, He knows the best time to act. We must remember that God was patient with us, allowing us to repent and turn to Him. And so, we also must "wait patiently", and allow God to be patient with others, in the hope that they will in time turn to Him.
Direction VI. "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil" (vs. 8). Anger does not befit the Christian, and (worse yet), it "leads only to evil". As sinners ourselves, it is not our right to be angry, anyway. We must remember that the Lord said: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay" (Deut. 32:35). Thus, our "anger" serves no purpose, because we are not to consummate it through wrath. Rather, our "anger" serves only to lead us into "evil".
9For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.
12The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for He knows their day is coming.
14The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
15But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
17for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure for ever.
19In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20But the wicked will perish:
The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke.
21The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
22those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those He curses will be cut off.
23If the LORD delights in a man's way,
He makes his steps firm;
24though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
25I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.
In this section, David offers six comparisons between the righteous and wicked, in order to strengthen our ability to keep the foregoing directions.
Comparison I. "For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace" (vss. 9-11). Again, we are reminded here of the fleeting nature of the success of the wicked: "A little while, and the wicked will be no more." In time, "the meek will inherit the land". And not only will we be prosperous, but we will enjoy something that the prosperous wicked do not enjoy: we will "enjoy great peace."
Comparison II. "The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows their day is coming" (vss. 12-13). Here, David points out the folly of the wicked, for the Lord Himself, the Creator of the Universe, opposes them. And not only does He oppose them, He "laughs" (in contempt) at them.
Comparison III. "The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken" (vss. 14-15). David speaks here of the violence of the wicked, drawing their swords and bending their bows. Note that the wicked are attacking those that are weaker than themselves, as they "bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy". Then, David tells us that the plans of the wicked will be foiled, for "their swords will pierce their own hearts." What they sow, they shall reap. It is worth noting here that it is often the elements of the wicked's prosperity that become the elements of their destruction. Their devotion to their riches keep them from devotion to God; their power deludes them into thinking that they do not need God; their ability to fulfill their sinful passions hardens their hearts to the things of God.
Comparison IV. "Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous" (vss. 16-17). As Spurgeon points out: "We would sooner hunger with John than feast with Herod; better feed on scant fare with the prophets in Obadiah's cave than riot with the priests of Baal."[10] Daniel in his prayer closet was in much better shape than King Belshazzar with all his riches at the time of the writing of the wall (see Dan. 5).
Comparison V. "The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke" (vss. 18-20). Here is perhaps the greatest difference between the godly and the ungodly: in times of trouble, God is with us. "In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty." It is a great comfort in times of trouble to know that God is with us, to be able to talk to Him through prayer, to ask for comfort and deliverance. I often wonder how those who do not know God make it through times of trouble. If I didn't have the privilege of prayer in affliction, I don't think I could make it.
Comparison VI. "The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off. If the LORD delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed" (vss. 21-26). It is a strange characteristic of the ungodly rich man: even in the midst of his wealth, the wicked man often feels himself poor. They do not feel like they have enough money; they are never satisfied; they always feel they need more money in order to be truly happy. As Solomon teaches: "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income" (Eccl. 5:10). Thus, the unchecked greed of the ungodly rich often plunges him into debt. It is not uncommon for us to read of some famous person who was rich now declaring bankruptcy. We think: "How could he be declaring bankruptcy? He was so famous, so successful!" Again, Solomon: "I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him" (Eccl. 5:13-14). Then notice: "But the righteous give generously" (vs. 21). The ungodly rich man can't seem to be able to allocate any of his wealth to giving; but the righteous man always seems to have money to give. As David points out: "They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed" (vs. 26).
27Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land for ever.
28For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake His faithful ones.
They will be protected forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;
29the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
30The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks what is just.
31The law of his God is in his heart;
his feet do not slip.
32The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;
33but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
34Wait for the LORD and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off,
you will see it.
35I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
36but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.
38But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40The LORD helps them and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in Him.
David here continues with three more directions.
Direction VII. "Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial" (vss. 27-33). Rather than concentrating on the prosperity of the wicked, we are to concentrate on our own behavior, and "Turn from evil and do good" (vs. 27). David gives us a very compelling reason to keep this command: "For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones" (vs. 28). Contrary to popular belief, it is not "the one with the most toys" who wins. It is God's "faithful ones" who win. The easiest way to be faithful to God is to make His Word a part of you, as David says of the faithful one: "The law of his God is in his heart" (vs. 31). This is the key to a godly life.
Direction VIII. "Wait for the LORD and keep His way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it. I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil, but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found" (vss. 34-36). Again we are exhorted to "wait for the LORD". David adds a promise that our waiting will pay off: "When the wicked are cut off, you will see it" (vs. 34). Make no mistake, the day will come when the righteous will see God's justice fulfilled.
Direction IX. "Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace. But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him" (vss. 37-40). This direction is very simple to carry out: we are to observe the lives of the holy ones around us. This will go far in convincing us that the way of the righteous is the best way to live one's life. We are to especially observe them during their affliction (so exhorts David): "The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them." (vss. 39-40).
And so Father, help us by Your Spirit, to keep these directions. May we be more concerned with living a holy life than living a prosperous life. Better yet, may we consider godliness to be our riches. May we concentrate on storing up treasures in heaven, than living comfortably down here. Be glorified in our lives. May others look at our godly lives and desire what we have. In the name of Jesus we pray these things, Amen.