Psalms 37:32

“In Persecution Stay Faithful in the Little Things”

Psalms 37:32-34, “The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.’’

In Psalms 37 the Christian is told not to let anger or jealousy because of the prosperity of the people of the world lure the Christian away from delighting in God and staying committed to picking up the cross daily and following Christ. Anger is never good. Even a littler anger can result in a person doing or saying the wrong thing. The Bible says God is love. The Bible does not say God is anger. Of course we are not talking about righteous anger against sin. Righteous anger will result in a person separating from the sinfulness of the world and trusting in Jesus. Unrighteous anger results in a person doing and saying the wrong things.

Anger is one of the most notable characteristics of the lost people of this world. Ephesians 2:3 says, “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.’’ The reason that human nature is a nature of wrath is because of sin and because of enmity against God. Those who are against the Bible are children of wrath because they are opposed to the truth. The truth makes them angry because they are unrepentant of their sins. This explains for us what Psalms 37:32 says, “The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.’’

The Bible says in Second Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.’’ If you are going to pick up your cross and follow Christ you will be persecuted because the children of wrath hate the truth. They are in chains of darkness. Lest they should be redeemed through the precious blood of Christ they cannot help but be at enmity with God, the children of God, and the Word of God.

Even though all Christians suffer persecution; God does call some of his children to suffer more than others. Why? Perhaps it simply depends on who among the children of God is willing to stand in the gap. Ezekiel 22:30 says, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.’’

How few there are who will stand for the truth of God’s Word no matter what. This is why Psalms 37 is such a great Psalm. If you learn Psalms 37:4 which says, “Delight thyself also in the LORD,’’ Then you know the delight there is in serving Christ and accomplish his will rather than following after the things of this life. No one desires to suffer, but if you are persecuted then you know you are standing in the gap. Therefore you should continue to be faithful in the little things because so many in this world turn away from the cross when persecution comes their way.

Not all believers are called to be a martyr for the faith. But God does call some. To live for Christ and to die for Christ can both accomplish great things for the spread of the gospel of Jesus, the good news that Jesus died for the sins of the world. Psalms 37:32 says, “The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.’’

Do not put yourself intentionally in harm’s way. But be aware that the children of wrath will look for opportunities to murder the Christian if they can because they hate Jesus and His Word. In the age in which we live of TV’s, and cameras, and satellites, and video, and spy technology, you never know who is watching. Psalms 37:32 says, “The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.’’

Regardless of what kind of persecution comes your way be it slander or violence and murder consider what Jesus says to the believer in Psalms 37:33, ”The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.” In the end it is God who is the final Judge in all matters. Notice the word condemn. Romans chapter 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.’’ Jesus is the faithful witness. Jesus is the one without sin who died and who was condemned for the sins of men. Those who by grace through faith and not of works have turned from their sins to Jesus have the testimony of Jesus a testimony which says God always keeps his promises, and the righteousness of Christ is given to those that have turned from their sins to Jesus. Because there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus the world may slander you, the world may even condemn you before their judges and government seats unjustly.

Regardless of how much opposition comes against those who follow after Christ God can always deliver his child. Psalms 37:33 says, “The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.” God is in control not man. Jesus will not leave you in the hands of sinful men but no one can pluck you from the hand of Jesus or from His father’s Hand. John 10:28-29, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” God can deliver you from you persecution if it is his will. But even if the world condemns you at least you know there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

This is why Psalms 37:34 says, “Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.’’ What should a Christian do when a Christian finds himself being persecuted or finds that the lost people of this world are trying to murder him? A Christian should wait on the LORD. Continue trusting in Christ and living by faith in the promises of God day by day. Stay faithful in doing the will of God in your life. He that is faithful in little is faithful in much. Stay faithful in the little things day by day waiting on God and you will be standing in the gap. . Ezekiel 22:30 says, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.’’

Psalms 37 is a Psalm all about the noticeable difference between those that life only for the things of this life and those that live for Christ. Matthew 5:14 says, “ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.’’ The lost people of the world are going to notice the Christian because the Christian is the one who is a light, having the spirit of God, the Bible, and all the armor of God. When you find yourself in the situation described here in Psalms 37:32 which says, “The wicked watched the righteous, and seeketh to slay him,’’ what you should do is just as it says in verse 34, “Wait on the LORD, and keep his way.’’

If you are living for Christ then when persecution comes your way it will change nothing other than to give you a reason to live for Christ all the more. “The wicked watched the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.” You may not even know or be aware of the plotting of the wicked against you but the LORD knoweth. Wait on the LORD and keep his way. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. If you have never turned from your sins to Jesus do so today.

$Description: C:\BibleGemsDoc\Image37.gif$

___________________________________________________