(Psalm 37:7-11)…..Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
We are told in this verse to rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Yet one of the hardest things to do in our culture, and with our flesh, is to wait on something or someone, we naturally are impatient people. We are use to getting the things we want, when we want them, thus the microwave. But resting and waiting on the Lord is what the Lord wants from us (Matthew 14:13) (Mark 6:31) (Matthew 11:28-29). Rest then would involve an element of trust in the Lord, that is a trust in…..
- God’s name – (Psalm 33:20-21)
- God’s mercy – (Psalm 52:7-8)
- God’s word – (Psalm 119:41-42)
- Jesus Christ Himself – (Matthew 12:17-21)
In our verse this morning the word rest means, to be silent, to be still, to shut your mouth, to stop your activity, to listen. So what is the LORD implying through the mouth of David? That during the difficult times, even when we see evildoers prospering around us, don’t become jealous of their life, but be patient and silent (still) while the Lord works out His purposes in you. This is not easy, but this was the Lord’s example (Isaiah 53:4-7). One of the hardest things for me to do is this, but we know we need to learn not to whine when the Lord gives us a cross to carry, waiting patiently on Him to work out His will in our life.