The Wicked Will be Justly Punished
August 12, 2020
Commentary
Those who are evildoers will sooner or later, be cut down as the scythe cuts down the grass of the field (v. 9). Their is a shortness of time to do things (v. 10). The meek may never have an abundance of things, but why should they care? An abundance of peace is theirs, and that is far better (v. 11). Many think that Jesus taught a lot of new and novel things when He was on this earth but in reality He rarely introduced anything new. Most of His teaching comes right out of the Old Testament. When we read in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth,” we are not reading something new but we are reading the message of Psa. 37:11 rephrased in the Words of the Lord Jesus.
Merciless people make plots against good people (v. 12), but the Lord laughs and knows their time is coming soon (v. 13). We should never fear about the plotting of the wicked because God knows the end from the beginning. He knows the day is coming when He will destroy the strength of the strong. He has a sword for those who have committed crimes against humanity. Who can begin to measure the suffering caused by men like Stalin, Hitler, and Mao Tse Tung. But we can be sure that God has a sword for them that will enter their souls and twist and turn for all eternity. The wicked will kill with swords and arrows (v. 14), but they will be killed by their own weapons (v. 15). In the materialistic society in which we live we often put the emphasis in the wrong place. We think that money can buy happiness (vv. 16-17). The Bible makes it plain that “godliness with contentment is great gain.”
Application
How much of my life up to this point has been devoted to making money and buying things in comparison to the time I have spent for the Lord? I never want to be content with the things this life has to offer.
Psalms 37:9– 17 (NET)
9 Wicked men will be wiped out, but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.
10 Evil men will soon disappear; you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.
11 But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.
12 Evil men plot against the godly and viciously attack them.
13 The Lord laughs in disgust at them, for he knows that their day is coming.
14 Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly.
15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men,
17 for evil men will lose their power, but the Lord sustains the godly.