Psalm 37 (Part 05) – Psa 37:6-8 – Rest, Wait, Fret Not, and Cease From Anger

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Psa 37:6 – “And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”

1. When we delight in the LORD and commit our way unto Him, God will bring out the righteousness that He has worked in us and it will shine as a bright light for the world to see (Mat 5:14-16; Mat 25:1-13; Mat 13:43; 2Co 4:6 c/w Php 2:12-15).
2. When we delight in the LORD by studying His word and seeking His knowledge and wisdom, we will understand judgment (Pro 1:1-5; Pro 2:1-9).
3. When we commit our way to God who leads in the paths of judgment (Pro 8:20) we will understand it better.
4. The LORD will teach us judgment because we will seek it (Psa 119:66), and He will guide us in it (Psa 25:9).

iii.    Our mouths will then speak of judgment (Psa 37:30) and we will keep it (Psa 106:3).

1. Doing judgment will then be a joy to us (Pro 21:15).
2. Our judgment will then shine bright as the noonday for all to see.

Psa 37:7 – “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”

2. The key to not fretting because of the wicked is to do the opposite, that is to rest and wait patiently.
3. Fret 1 – 8. trans. To chafe, irritate. Chiefly with regard to the mind: To annoy, distress, vex, worry. Also, to fret oneself; and to bring into or to (a specified condition) by worrying. Cf. fret v.4 1.
4. Rest – 1. a. To take repose by lying down, and esp. by going to sleep; to lie still or in slumber.

iii.    Patiently adv. – In a patient manner; with patience.

1. Patient adj. – 1. a. Bearing or enduring (pain, affliction, trouble, or evil of any kind) with composure, without discontent or complaint; having the quality or capacity of so bearing; exercising or possessing patience. c. Calmly expectant; not hasty or impetuous; quietly awaiting the course or issue of events, etc.
2. Fretting ourselves because of evil men who are prospering is laborious.
3. Rest is the remedy for fretting.
4. Worrying about them will not change a thing (Luk 12:25-26).

iii.    Jesus tells those who are laboring and heavy laden to come unto Him to find rest for their souls (Mat 11:28-30).

1. Martha was cumbered about much serving (Luk 10:38-40).
2. Cumber v. – 1. To overwhelm, overthrow, rout, destroy. Obs. b. pass. To be overwhelmed and held fast, as in a slough. Obs.
3. Therefore, she was careful and troubled about many things (Luk 10:41).

(i)     Careful adj. – 1. Full of grief; mournful, sorrowful; also (of cries, etc.), expressing sorrow. Obs. 2. Full of care, trouble, anxiety, or concern; anxious, troubled, solicitous, concerned. arch.

(ii)   Troubled ppl. – 1. Physically agitated; of the sea, sky, etc., stormy; of water, wine, etc., stirred up so as to diffuse the sediment, made thick or muddy, turbid.  2. Disturbed; disquieted; disordered; agitated; afflicted.

1. She needed to rest and spend time with Jesus like her sister Mary (Luk 10:42).
2. In order to rest, we must be still mentally and physically.
3. When we are still, we will know that the LORD is God and He has all things under control (Psa 46:10).

vii.  Rest is acquired by not worrying and casting our cares upon God (Php 4:6-7; 1Pe 5:7; Isa 26:3).

viii.Rest is acquired by thinking on wholesome and godly things (Php 4:8).

1. When we are in a state of rest we can then wait patiently (calmly and quietly) on the LORD to judge the wicked.
2. God will punish the wicked who trouble us in His good time (2Th 1:6-9).

Psa 37:8 – “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”

3. Fretting about the wicked will lead to anger which turns into wrath.
4. Wrath will cause us to lose control of ourselves and do evil to try to stop the wicked or exact revenge on them.
5. We must be slow to wrath (Jam 1:19; Ecc 7:9; Pro 12:16; Pro 14:29).
6. We must not let anger linger and fester (Eph 4:26-27).
7. The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God (Jam 1:20; Pro 29:22).
8. We must let God take vengeance on the wicked and never take it into our own hands (Rom 12:19).