Articles
A Message for Troubled Times
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Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
(Psa. 37:37-38)
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In all the Bible, there is no chapter that has given me more encouragement through times of trouble than Psalm 37. Written by King David in his old age (v. 25), the chapter reflects on a pattern of events that he had seen unfold again and again throughout his life. It's a pattern that still holds true today.
This broken world is plagued with evil men who make life miserable for others (v. 1, 21, 32). Their favorite target is those who strive to live a life of righteousness (v. 12, 14). Not only do they get away with their crimes, they often profit from them (v. 35). The unfairness of it all is so outrageous.
The temptation for the righteous, of course, is to strike back. Get even. Give the bad guys a dose of their own medicine. But David warns against that strategy: "Do not fret . . . cease from anger" (v. 1, 7, 8). That response only drags us down to their level; "it only causes harm" (v. 8).
So do we surrender to the evildoers and let them walk over us? Not quite. As people of faith, our job is to do what is right, even when our goodness is not reciprocated (v. 27, 28, 30). Our secret weapon is our faith. Again and again, David counsels us to "trust in the Lord" (v. 3, 5, 40), to "rest in the Lord" and "wait patiently for Him" (v. 7, 9, 34). As believers we know that, despite appearances, God is still in control and someday He will balance the books. The wicked will get what is coming to them (v. 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 28, 34, 38).
As for the righteous, they shall "inherit the earth" (v. 9, 11, 22, 29, 34). This is not a promise of a land grant, but of a prevailing trend in history. For every Genghis Khan, Hitler, or Stalin who makes life miserable for their victims, there are millions of good people whose decency and hard work keep this world moving forward. This earth belongs to them, not the tyrants. "The Lord is their strength in the time of trouble" (v. 39).
If you are troubled by the success of evil people in our society who seem to be gaining the upper hand, spend more time reading Psalm 37. What we are experiencing today is a temporary blip in the annals of history. When all of this plays out, the forces of evil will be gone, and the Lord will be victorious. "When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it" (v. 34).
In the meantime, our job is to "rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" (v. 7). That is so much easier to do when we know what the final outcome will be.
--David
