Trust His timing

 

One theme that David hits several times in Psalm 37 is something that should surely give us hope. He says it in more than eleven of the verses!

In a nutshell, it is this: when the bad guys are winning, trust in the Lord to judge righteously - in His own timing.

Oh, there we go again. You mean I can't just call down fire and brimstone on 'em? Nope. 

If we have been treated wrongly, we need to keep the long-range picture in mind. 

God IS a God of justice.

He will right ALL wrongs. 

Have you ever noticed in the Book of Revelation how wicked Babylon is allowed to go on in sensuality and wealth until the last hour? The clock is ticking and ticking and ticking all the way to the eleventh hour -- it keeps looking like wickedness will triumph. Then in one day, in one hour, judgment falls! 

Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. (Revelation 18:8)

Don't be fooled.

Don't be discouraged.

In that final hour, God will act on behalf of all of His saints:

“Rejoice over her, you heavens!
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you." (Revelation 18:20)

David's "bottom line" must be ours. Just look at the final words of this psalm:

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. (vs. 39-40)

It's true! If we take refuge in God, we can trust Him to judge righteously for us. We can trust Him to vindicate us. We may be persecuted; we may be tromped on; but we have something while we wait. In this psalm (and in others) we see a recurring theme that the blessings of God on the righteous include that they'll inherit the land in peace. God's covenant promise to Israel was that someday, they would dwell peacefully in Canaan, the land of His promise.

To apply this to our lives, remember how the apostle Paul described himself? He said he had nothing, but possessed all things (II Corinthians 6:10). He knew how to be contented no matter what circumstances he found himself in (Philippians 4:11) so he could enjoy all that God richly supplies.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (I Timothy 6:17)

Do we remember the words of our Savior when Peter told Him that he and the others had "left everything" to follow Him?

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life."  (Mark 10:29-30)

Truly, when it comes to God's blessings and His peace, we "have it" now, and we will "have it" then! There is no guarantee that we will be exempt from persecutions, but we can trust in Him to judge righteously and to vindicate us. We know the Creator of the universe -- we can delight ourselves in abundant peace even when the bad guys win.

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. (Psalm 37:39-40)