Psalms 32-37 are often called the “Security Psalms.” This is a series of psalms of David, written at times in his life when he had to rely on God for his his security, and not on his own efforts.
Our natural inclination when things get crazy is to worry about the outcome. It’s human nature. And although the Bible commands us to avoid it, we find that hard to accomplish most of the time. Worry is ultimately a lack of trust. We see our own inability to control things, and we fret over them, knowing that we can do nothing about it.
Psalm 37 is the final portion of this series of Security Psalms, and is one of the most poignant. In it, David addresses our inclination to worry, and then gives us an alternative.
David was often faced with troubling enemies. He was pursued by Saul before he became king, and faced threats from multiple foreign nations during his reign. He also faced a threat that came from his own son, who attempted to take the kingdom from him in rebellion. David had to rely on God for his sense of security.
In Psalm 37, we can see his trust in God come through clearly.
First, David assures us that the prosperity of our enemies is short lived, and that their fall is self-evident in their own nature. The wicked are their own worst enemy. But in stark contrast, the way of the righteous is secure, because it is established by God, and he provides safety to those who follow him.
What I find most compelling about this psalm though is the repeated admonition to not worry, and let God handle things. In the NASB, this is phrased as “do not fret,” and David writes it three different times.
Do not fret… (verse 1). Fretting is wrong; it is harmful; it is needless. Let the trusting wait upon the Lord. David tells us that we are not to fret because of “evildoers.” A day will come when evildoers will no longer cause the righteous trouble, and God’s justice will be satisfied. Not ours. That is not our domain. We are to let God, who is in control already, be in control, and trust.
Do not fret… (verse 7b): We are not to fret because of those who seem to prosper from their wickedness. David here does not tell us to stop fretting about those who prosper in the things of this world, but to not fret at the one who prospers in evil. There is a difference. God will take care of evil. Again, that’s not our job.
Do not fret… (verse 8b): To fret, to worry, is a sin. David says, “Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.” The Moffat translation states it this way: “Fret not… it only tends to evil.” Not only does it lead to evil, it is evil. The Bible says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
There are many passages that speak about worry and our efforts to avoid it. Even Jesus himself spoke about it in Matthew 6. But David, here in Psalm 37, gives perhaps the most beautiful explanation of why this is something to avoid. But he also gives an incredible alternative…
Trust.
Question: Rate yourself on the Worry Scale: From 1 to 10, how well do you avoid worry? Are you good at it? Or do you struggle? You can leave a comment by clicking here.