Psalm 37

As I continue to make my way slowly through the Psalms, I came to Psalm 37. It's quite a long psalm, but these first ten verses are worth spending some time reflecting upon.

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
   or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
   like green plants they will soon die away.

 3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
   dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 5 Commit your way to the LORD;
   trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
   your vindication like the noonday sun.

 7 Be still before the LORD
   and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
   when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
   do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
   but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

A lot of my time can be spent fretting about all sorts of things. Things that ultimately are either not worth the worry or can be dealt with simply by taking some action rather than worrying about them. Things like actually getting the plan done, or not leaving that admin task until tomorrow. writing down the action and trying to remember it only to forget it at a crucial moment.

But these verses aren't just about dealing with worry-sickness. It's a psalm about hope, trust and patience. It's about doing good because it's the right thing to do.

Read them a few times and pray them through.