Psalms 37:3-6

DISCOURSE: 564
CONFIDENCE IN GOD RECOMMENDED

Psalms 37:3. Trust in the Lord, and do good: so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass: and he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day.

IT might be supposed that God, the righteous Governor of the universe, would in this world distinguish his people from his enemies by his visible dispensations towards them: but he does not: he suffers “all things to come alike to all; so that none can discern either love or hatred by all that is before them [Note: Ecclesiastes 9:1.].” This is often a stumbling-block to the righteous, who are apt to be discouraged, when they see the prosperity of the wicked, and are themselves suffering all manner of adversity. David was at one time greatly dejected, or rather, I should say, offended, at this very thing; and was led to imagine that he had served God for nought [Note: Psalms 73:1.]. To guard us against such mistaken views of providence, and against the feelings which they are wont to excite in the breast, he wrote this psalm. That we may not repine at the success of evil-doers, he teaches us to consider, how short their triumph is, and how awful will be their end. He then, in the words of our text, instructs us,

I. What we are to do for God—

It is here taken for granted that we have many difficulties to contend with. But instead of being discouraged by them, our duty to God is,

1. To go on steadily in his service—

[“Trust thou in the Lord, and do good.” It should be an established principle in our hearts, that duty is ours, and events are God’s; and that we should attend to our own concerns, and leave God to his. Now beyond all doubt our great concern is, to prosecute and “finish the work which God has given us to do.” We should not merely attend to good works in general, but consider what is that particular “good” which God is calling us to do: perhaps it is to exercise meekness and patience; or perhaps to put forth fortitude and firmness. In the event of persecution for righteousness’ sake, these graces must be cultivated with more than ordinary attention, and be called into action in a more than ordinary degree. We are not to be perplexing our minds with inquiries how we may avert the storm which is gathering around us, but be solely careful not to be shaken either in our principles or conduct, or in any respect to dishonour that God whom we profess to serve. Without this fidelity in the path of duty, all trust in God will be a delusion: but, combined with it, our trust in him is a most pleasing and acceptable service.]

2. To seek our happiness in his presence—

[Fidelity itself would not be acceptable, if it proceeded from a principle of slavish fear: we must regard God as a Father, and “delight ourselves in him.” It is not a low measure of spirituality that we should aim at: we should aspire after such an enjoyment of God as David himself spake of, when he said, “I will go unto God, my exceeding joy [Note: Psalms 43:4.].” In order to this, we should meditate upon all his glorious perfections, and especially on those perfections as displayed and magnified in the work of redemption. O! what wonders of love and mercy may we see in our incarnate, our redeeming God! In the contemplation of these we should exercise ourselves day and night, till the fire kindle in our bosoms, and we burst forth in acclamations and hosannahs to our adorable Emmanuel. Say, ye who have ever been so occupied, whether such “meditations be not sweet;” and whether “your souls have not been satisfied as with marrow and fatness,” when you have been so employed?]

3. To commit our every concern to his disposal—

[Our duty in this respect may not unfitly be illustrated by the confidence which passengers in a ship place in a skilful pilot and an able commander. They trust their persons and their property to the pilot without any anxious cares or painful apprehensions. Conscious of their own incapacity to navigate the ship, they presume not to interfere in the management of the vessel, but leave the whole concern to those whose province it is to conduct it. Whatever storms may arise, they look to him who is at the helm to steer the vessel to its destined port. Thus does the believer commit his way unto the Lord. To God he looks as ordering every thing for his good, yea, as having, if we may so speak, a community of interest with him, and as pledged to bring him in safety to the harbour where he would be. If any anxious thought arise, he checks it; and “casts all his care on Him, who careth for him.” This we should do in reference to every concern whatever. In relation to temporal things, we should have no more anxiety than the fowls of the air, which subsist from day to day on the bounty of their Creator [Note: Matthew 6:25.]: and even in reference to the soul, the same entire confidence must be placed in God, who has engaged to carry on and perfect in his people the work he has begun [Note: Philippians 1:6.]. Let us not however be misunderstood to say, that we are to put away a jealous fear of ourselves: that we must retain even to the end of our lives: but an unbelieving fear of God, as either unable or unwilling to save us, we must cast it off with abhorrence, and “be strong in faith, giving glory to God.”]

The promises annexed to these several injunctions shew,

II.

What God will do for us—

Truly he will do exceeding abundantly for us above all that we can ask or think—

1. He will supply our wants—

[Great and urgent they may be, even like those with which Israel was oppressed on different occasions in the land of Canaan: but God will interpose for us in the hour of need, so that “verily we shall be fed.” Under the pressure of their troubles, many Jews deserted their own land, and sought for security or plenty among their heathen neighbours: thus they rather fled from trouble, than looked to God, as they should have done, to relieve them from it. We must not act thus: we must not desert our post because of difficulties which we meet with in it; but must expect from God all those supplies of grace and strength which we stand in need of. “He that believeth, will not make haste:” he will not presently despond, because he sees not how his wants are to be supplied; but will remember, that, as “the earth, and the fulness thereof, is the Lord’s,” so there is all fulness of spiritual blessings also treasured up for him in Christ, and he will look to Christ for daily communications, according as his necessities may require. The Lord did not give to Elijah a store of provision that should suffice for months to come, but sent him bread and meat twice a day by the ministration of ravens, and afterwards a daily supply from the widow’s cruse. In the same manner will he impart a sufficiency of temporal and spiritual blessings to all who trust in him; and “according to their day, so their strength shall be.” “The soul that trusts in Him shall want no manner of thing that is good.”]

2. He will fulfil our desires—

[If our desires were after the things of time and sense, we might expect to have them withheld from us: but if they be, as the believer’s are, after God himself, we shall never be disappointed: on the contrary, the more earnest and enlarged our desire is, the more certain we are that God will fulfil and satisfy it. The more “wide we open our mouth,” the more assured we are that “he will fill it.” “He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will help them.” Do we desire increasing “views of his glory? He will put us into the cleft of the rock, and make all his goodness to pass before our eyes [Note: Exodus 33:18.].” Do we desire a more intimate and abiding communion with him? He will “come and dwell in us, and walk in us, and be altogether our God [Note: 2 Corinthians 6:16.].” Do we desire a more entire conformity to him? He will “transform us into his image from glory to glory,” by the sanctifying influence of his Holy Spirit [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:18.]. There shall not be a thing that we can ask, but he will give it us, if only it will be conducive to our spiritual and eternal welfare [Note: John 15:7 and 1 John 5:14. with Psalms 21:1.]

3. He will give a happy issue to all our concerns—

[There may be many difficulties in our way, and such as shall be to all appearance insurmountable; but He who made a path through the Red Sea, will remove them all in due time. Whatever in his wisdom he sees to be best for us, “he will bring it to pass.” We may labour under many discouragements by reason of calumnies which are circulated respecting us: the world may represent us as enthusiasts that “turn the world upside down,” as deceivers that are seeking some base ends of our own, as abettors of sedition, and enemies to civil government; in a word, they may speak of us as “the filth of the earth, and the off-scouring of all things;” but God will not leave us to sink under these reproaches: he will sooner or later appear for us, and “make our righteousness to shine forth as the noon-day.” We shall have “good report to pass through, as well as evil report;” and our very demeanour under our persecutions shall carry conviction to the minds of many, that we are indeed the sons of God [Note: Matthew 27:54.]. At all events, if not before, at least at the day of judgment, our reproach shall be rolled away, and “we shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father [Note: Matthew 13:43].”]

Reflections. See from hence,
1.

What they lose who are ignorant of God—.

[All that is implied either in the precepts or the promises of our text is altogether unknown to those who experience not the power of religion in their hearts. Whatever burthens they have, are borne upon their own shoulders: they know not what it is to cast them upon the Lord. Hence, when oppressed with heavy trials, they faint and sink under them; and for want of the consolations and supports of religion, they not unfrequently meditate, and sometimes also carry into execution, the awful act of suicide. O that men did but know what provision there is made for them in the Gospel of Christ! In, and with Christ, there is all that we can want, for body or for soul, for time or for eternity — — — Only let us seek to be washed in his blood, to be renewed by his Spirit, and to live altogether by faith on him; and we shall find such rich supplies, such heavenly consolations, such a fulness of all spiritual and eternal blessings, as shall far surpass all that the carnal eye has ever seen, and all that the carnal imagination has ever conceived [Note: 1 Corinthians 2:9.]

2. What they enjoy who live nigh to God—

[Contemplate the state of those who are now in heaven; how free from care, and how completely happy in the fruition of their God! Such in a measure may our state be even in this present world. Those who believe in Christ are privileged to rejoice in him, yea, and many do “rejoice in him, with joy unspeakable and glorified.” By committing themselves, and all their concerns, to him, “their very thoughts, which are naturally as fluctuating as the wind, are established [Note: Proverbs 16:3.].” O Believers, live not below your privileges: carry every thing to your adorable Saviour, and expect from him all that infinite love can give, and all that Omnipotence can effect. “All things are yours, if ye are Christ’s;” even “death itself, as well as life, is among your treasures [Note: 1 Corinthians 3:21.]:” and soon shall all the glory and felicity of heaven be your unalienable and everlasting possession.]