“Do not fret.” All four of the English translations of Psalm
37 have some kind of variation of this statement to begin the psalm before us
today. But what does fret mean?
Among the meanings in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary
are: to cause to suffer emotional strain, and to affect something as if by
gnawing or biting. The synonym that I
think of for “fret” is “worry”. This is
good advice, “Don’t worry!” and it goes nicely with the rest of the psalm – as this
phrase appears three times in the first eight verses.
Yet there is more to this fretting than just
worrying. The word translated “fret”
initially means “to become hot.” The
form that it takes in this psalm is best translated, “fly into a passion.”
Now there’s a vivid statement. “Don’t fly into a passion.” If I were talking to my kids I might say, “Stop
selling the drama. Don’t get your
knickers in a twist. Chill out! Don’t get yourself all worked up.”
And what should we not get all worked up
about? Evildoers. Wrongdoers.
The Wicked.
Sometimes we look around and we ask, “Why do
bad things happen to good people, and good things to bad people? Why do cheaters seem to get rich while
hardworking folk fall behind? Why do bad
people get ahead while good people struggle?”
(Are you getting worked up as I ask these questions?)
David’s response to all this is, “Don’t get
all worked up about it. Do not fret.” Why?
Because the LORD is active. He brings righteousness
to us. He gives justice. He will bring the wicked to an end. Their plans will come to nothing. The LORD knows.
So we are urged to wait. “Wait for the LORD.” But
as fret does simply mean worrying, this waiting is not merely sitting back and
doing nothing. The verb we translate, “wait,”
implies a strong sense of anticipation and eagerness. This is like a child waiting for Christmas
morning. We wait while feeling that we
can’t wait! For when God acts, when He
does what He does and makes things happen, it will be our deliverance!
This is an active waiting – if there is such
a thing – where we stay busy with the things the LORD has given us to do. “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend
faithfulness.” “Commit your way to the LORD….” In other words, live each day anticipating
what the LORD will do in light of what He has done for you. Since you are redeemed in Christ, we live
every day looking for His return. We go
to work, raise our children, buy groceries, pay bills, help others, read books,
honor our parents, share our faith and do many many other good things. All the while, we are waiting for the LORD to set all things
right. We wait and watch for Jesus to
return to judge the living and the dead.
Living in the truth that this world belongs
to God gives us hope in the face of wickedness.
Living in the hope that Jesus is coming again, and when He does He will
judge the living and the dead, gives us courage that we will be
vindicated. It also gives us focus because
there are many in this world who need to hear of the salvation Jesus has won
for us so that they might receive the righteousness He gives to all who believe
so they will not be swept away as the wicked.
LORD, salvation is from You. Be my
stronghold in times of trouble. Deliver
me the wicked things in the world and save me.
I take refuge in You. Let me also
display Your salvation for others.
Amen.
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