Psalms 37:35

“True Power”

Psalms 37:35-36, “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.’’

Psalms chapter 37 teaches us the difference between those that live for Christ and those that live for the things of this life. In Psalms 37 we are taught that God loves judgment. God is love. And God loves judgment. Judgment means to discern between right and wrong and to do what is right. Judgment means justice. Yes Jesus died for the sins of the world. Anyone, no matter how great of a sinner they are, can repent of their sins and find both forgiveness and eternal life. Yes there are consequences to sin. When we consider the consequences of sin both physically and spiritually how great then is the grace of God through the righteousness of Christ.

However there must be judgment for sin. God loves judgment. If you reject the gospel of Jesus Christ who was judged for your sins when he died on the cross then you must face both the judgment for your sins and the judgment for rejecting the gospel and blaspheming God. In speaking of judgment and justice and the difference between those that live for Jesus and those that live for this life the last few verses of Psalms chapter 37 talks about those that have accumulated great power and great wealth. Verse 35 describes them as, “a green bay tree.’’

A green bay tree is a tree that prospers all year round. In other words, in a physical sense, some men seem to have it all. They have good heath, great wealth, and great power. A person with great power faces many temptations from the devil because the devil spends a great deal of his time tempting those that have power. That is why when the Bible speaks of the powers of this world it says in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’’

With great power comes great responsibility. Most people that have power though have it because they have sought after it because they desire to have power over other human beings. This is why most leaders in most countries are very evil. This is also why the devil is the one for the most part is in control of those who have power. The devil uses power to attempt to prevent the spread of the Word of God in any way he can. Those who have great power may seem to others as ones who will prosper for a very long time. They may even think they will prosper for a very time. But God loves judgment and there must be judgment for sin because there must be justice. The human soul cries out for justice when it is wronged and so does the heart of God.

These verses in Psalms chapter 37 are both a warning to those with great power who think that they answer to no one. Let them be warned they answer to the almighty God. Romans chapter 13:1 says “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God..’’ The powers that be are ordained of God. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it withersoever he will.’’

Men should use their power for good. If a person has power the most basic responsibility is to protect the freedom of other men. Sadly most that have power use their power to steal the freedom of men. Consider the difference between these two men: George Washington, and Adolf Hitler. George Washington used his power to preserve freedom and it resulted in hundreds of years of opportunity for the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ for most of the world. This is the way power should be used. Adolf Hitler did the opposite which resulted in millions upon millions suffering and dying, being murdered, tortured, raped. Adolf Hitler’s use of power resulted in one of the worst wars in human history. Hitler is an example of what the antichrist will be like. You will find very few men with power like George Washington and you will most men with power are like Adolf Hitler and they will do what they can when they can because they just cannot resist the temptations of the devil. God loves judgment and there must be justice. If you have great power or if you seek great power let these verses in Psalms be a warning to you. Psalms 37:35-36 say, “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.’’

Psalms 37:37-40 says, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.’’

The greatest challenge in life is to trust in Jesus Christ. But notice what the Bible says in these last few verses of Psalms 37 regarding those who trust in the promises of God as opposed to those that live only for the things of this life and those that have great power. Those that live only for this life, those who reject the gospel of Jesus the end result of them is going to be, “But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.’’

Now notice the words used to describe those that trust in the promises of God. These verses say the end of that man is peace. The salvation of the righteous is of the LORD. Jesus is their strength in trouble. The LORD shall help them. And the LORD shall deliver them from the wicked.

What a great word is the word deliver. Deliverance is what all men need; deliverance from their own sinfulness and deliverance from the power of the devil. The only one more powerful than the devil is Jesus Christ the almighty God, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the I am that I am, the eternally existent one, the King of kings, the LORD JEHOVAH, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. There is power in the blood of Jesus the power over the sinfulness of man, power over the devil and power over death. Power over other men is a vain thing. Power over sin, death and the devil through the blood of Christ is true power.

Consider what Ephesians chapter 1:19-22 says about the power of Christ, “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.’’

There is no one more powerful than Jesus Christ who created this world and who died for the sins of men and rose again the 3^rd day defeating death. If you have never turned from your sins turn to Jesus today and you will acquire the power of eternal life.

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

___________________________________________________