Phyllis Beveridge Nissila
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
This third post in my series on Psalm 37 alludes back to the previous post where I wrote of a place in a “perfectly still space” called eternity; that place where God, aka “I Am,” as He told Moses He is called, abides outside of time whilst we, His creation, live out our allotted days in this time-bound material world defined by beginnings, middles, and endings.
And frequent strife.
I suggested that time is one of God’s greatest gifts to us because it allows us the days, weeks, months, and years we need to hear His call to salvation–and to respond–if we so choose. That is to say, if we accept His invitation by means of another great gift: free will.
But here comes a third gift suggested in this psalm, the verses above in particular.
A gift called peace that comes from keeping our focus on God–no matter what strife plagues the planet–mind, spirit, or heart.
I like how Isaiah puts it:
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (26:3)
Reminders of this gift are threaded amid and between the verses of this psalm to remind us that although we are spinning around in an often volatile world we are also constantly invited to “rise above” those ever-present and ever-frustrating, “wicked devices,” of “evildoers” we are sore tempted to both “fret over” and engage with.
And perhaps the most tempting and FRUSTRATING thing about said evildoers is that fact that they often “prospereth in (their) way”.
(Aaarrrgh!!)
(Know what I mean?)
BUT and NEVERTHELESS, “I Am” invites us to “rest and wait patiently for Him…for yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.”
Of course for our part, we must also “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath…” while also “fretting) not…in any wise to do evil” and keeping in mind that such a time-based concept as “yet a little while” might not resemble the same amount of time in God’s realm where ” one day…(might be) as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8).
Thus, I am glad the verses are infused with God’s invitation to “rest” and “wait upon” Him” because at some point here, there, or then–and on into forever (unless they change their ways)–evildoers “shall not be”.
And who knows? It could even happen in one solitary day.
Imagine that.
Somewhere in time, POOF.
Gone.
And lo, peace.
Even right here on good old terra firma.
Just wait…
~~~~~
Series introduction and verses 1-2
Dove of peace: source.
pnissila 
