Patience and Trust! (Psalm 37) Day 5

Please read Psalm 37

First a story on patience - Little Johnny asked his kindergarten teacher for help to put on his snow boots. The teacher who saw the boy’s struggle tried to help.  Even with all her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn't want to go on. By the time she got the both boots on, the teacher worked up a sweat. Then little Johnny said, "Teacher, They're on the wrong feet." The teacher once again struggled as she pulled the boots off.  Finally the boots were of and after some struggle the boots were on the right feet. Then Johnny said, "These aren't my boots." She wanted to scream, “ Why didn’t you tell me” but again she took his boots off – struggling and panting. Then she asked Johnny “Where are the boots you wore to school today”. He said pointed to the boots that came off “I wore these boots to school”. The teacher was upset “What do you mean these are the boots you wore to schools today? You just told me they aren’t your boots!” Johnny said “They aren’t. They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them." The teacher didn’t know if she should laugh or cry. Again patiently she wrestled the boots back onto Johnny’s feet and then she helped him into his coat and checked his pockets for his mittens. Finding no mittens in his pockets, she asked “ Johnny, where are your mittens?" He said, "They are in my boots - stuffed them in the toes of my boots."

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: Psalm 37 is a wisdom psalm. It is not addressed to God but to man. In one way this psalm reads more like a Proverb. Also, v.11 begins “But the meek shall inherit the land…”. Does that sound familiar? It is the third beatitude “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

So let’s see what David teaches us in the first eleven verses today. Psalm 37 provides great advice. When David writes “Fret not yourself..”(v.1), he is telling us be patient, and not get worked up because evil people and wrongdoers are doing better than us.  Paul also writes about Christian love “Love is patient and kind;” ( 1 Corinthians 13:4).  Peter in his second epistle teaches us God’s patience. “The Lord is …. is patient toward you…” (2 Peter 3:9). So we are taught to be patient – so what does a patient man do? He waits. How does he wait? Who does he wait for? From v.3 we learn “Trust in the Lord, … befriend faithfulness” So let’s trust in our God’s Word, Wisdom and Grace and in faith wait on the Lord!

David’s teaching in other verses emphasizes trust and patience “⁵ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”(v. 5);  and “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” (v. 7); He is also teaching us not to react - “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself” (v.8) to evildoers. What happens if we do react to evildoers? David provides the answer  “it tends only to evil” (v.8) and in the end (v. 11) we learn “the meek shall inherit the land…” Jesus’ third beatitude in Matthew 5 is just a statement but in Psalm 37 we are provided an explanation.

So let’s trust God and patiently wait on Him and one day you and I will enjoy the “treasure in heaven”, i.e. the company of Jesus who died on the cross for your sins and my sins and rose on the third day for your salvation and my salvation.

Teach me O God, to trust in You and Your Word and also to wait patiently on you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.