Psalm 37 - The desires of your heart

Psalm 37 - The desires of your heart

Read: Psalm 37 vs 1-40

Are you coping at the moment? If someone was to ask you that I wonder what you would say? When things are tough, when things are uncertain, when all around us there is a sense of not knowing, we can find ourselves struggling to cope. Psalm 37 is a Psalm to comfort and steady someone who wasn’t coping with the situation they found themselves living in.

Not coping well presents itself in different ways. People find themselves ‘fretting’ (vs 1, 7,8), feeling envious of others (vs 1), they have a sense of impatience (vs 7). This person who is perhaps normally fairly calm finds themselves getting angry, they are irritable (vs 8), deep in their heart they are questioning God’s goodness and God’s provision (vs 25). When you read and re-read this Psalm you picture it being written for someone who is inwardly restless, pacing around, it comes back to that dominant word, they are fretting.

As this phase of life goes on I find myself talking to more and more people who at one level are coping, but who underneath it all are feeling wobbly. There is a settled reassuring tone in this Psalm that perhaps we all do well to hear.

Like a calming hand this Psalm rests on us with these steadying words:

‘Do not fret’ (vs 1)

‘Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.’ (vs 3)

‘Take delight in the LORD’ (he knows the deepest desires of your heart) (vs 4)

Commit each day to the LORD (vs 5)

‘Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him.’ (vs 7)

‘Refrain from anger and turn from wrath.’ (vs 8)

Hope in the LORD and keep His way.’ (vs 34)

We all stumble at times (vs 24), but the promise of this Psalm is that even though we stumble, the LORD makes firm the steps of those who delight in Him. So, be encouraged, as you step int today. Keep hold of the LORD’s hand (vs 24) and know that He gives new grace for each day as He comes to help all who delight in Him (vs 39-40).

Prayer: LORD help me not to fret. Help me to find calm and steadiness in delighting in you today and every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.