Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate (His) faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him…

                                                                                                                   Psalm 37:3-5,7 

In a world that seems to be hurling headlong into godlessness and destruction, Psalm 37 acts as a reminder for us to focus on the One that ultimately matters. Three times in this Psalm, David encourages us not to fret (v 1,7-8). Rather he emboldens us to live God-centered lives. Four admonitions are used in describing this type of lifestyle.

First, we are to trust in the Lord. David instructs us to “live in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” This phrase is inferring to propagating and enjoying the faithfulness of God. The Bible gives us good reason to “trust the Lord.” It is by faith in Jesus that we find spiritual strength (Jeremiah 17:7-8). It is by trusting God that we receive guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6). It is through believing that we receive salvation (John 3:18), and it is by faith that we are declared righteousness (Romans 4:5). Faith is an appropriate response to a loving God. This is not blind, religious faith rather it is a trust built through a life-long relationship with the living Lord and Savior.

Secondly, we should delight ourselves in God. There is a promise attached to this admonition. If we delight ourselves in God, He will give us the desires of our heart. Delighting in God seems to be stating the obvious, but this truth seems noticeably absent in the lives of many believers. If you are dreading attending church, suffering through Bible study, or generally finding no joy in your Christian life, I would say something has gone terribly wrong. Considering what we have in Jesus Christ and the fact that we have passed from death to life should be enough to generate passion and determination in our lives. Are you delighting in God? Is worship, time alone with God, and study of the Bible indispensible parts of your life? Delight yourself in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart!

Thirdly, David tells us to commit our way to the Lord. The combination of committing to and trusting in God results in the wonderful declaration that “He will do it.” What exactly will God do? He will bring about the desired result in your efforts. Christians should be a prosperous people. This prosperity isn’t measured in worldly terms rather is demonstrated in spiritual effectiveness. Power, prosperity, and provision are biblical truths. Paul prays that we would know the surpassing greatness of God’s power toward those of us who believe (Ephesians 1:19). He reminds us that God is able to do remarkably more than we could ever dream and that this is done by the power that is work within us (Ephesians 3:20). Psalm 1 reminds us that those who love God and meditate on His word will prosper in whatever they do (Psalm 1:3). Jesus revealed this truth to the disciples by reminding them that mustard seed faith would bring about “mountain moving” results (Matthew 17:20) and that prayer united with faith renders results that are certain (Mark 11:24). In addition, because God is pleased to pour goodness into the lives of those who ask (Matthew 7:11), the riches of God are for everyone who calls on Him (Romans 10:12). Committing our ways to God? Why wouldn’t we?

Finally, as believers we are given the privilege of resting in Him. Jesus welcomes everyone who will come to Him and He declares that He will give them rest (Matthew 11:28). This rest stems from an understanding that He is gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29). Resting in the completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross as the wholly sufficient payment for our sin brings freedom and spiritual fervor to live for Him. With fear driven out (1 John 4:18) and the presence of God residing in us (John 14:16), we are released to live the abundant life that Christ died for us to enjoy (John 10:10). As we rest and wait expectantly for Him, we gain new spiritual strength (Isaiah 40:29-31). This is what resting in Jesus brings.

Trusting, delighting, committing, and resting…these are the traits of a life that is truly God-centered!