Psalm 37:12-22
We’ve been through a lot of “the ways of the wicked” already in Job. This “wisdom” Psalm continues that theme, reflecting over and over that the wicked are doomed. Although they enjoy their riches for a time, in the end they will fall on their own sword (v. 15). John did a great job when we were reading Job in pointing out that back then, through time, and even now we don’t always see the wicked failing. In an eternal sense we know that truth – they’ll get theirs! But in this world evil often sees its spoils passed on from generation to generation.
One of my Study Bibles pointed out something that I had not recognized in Psalm 37 or even back in Job. Even though the wicked will get their just deserves, it never says that God will be the one bringing that about. By contrast, we see the Lord actively working for the benefit of the righteous. Verse 17 says this explicitly: For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. The Lord intercedes for the righteous, but the outcome for the wicked is simply a passive statement that it will happen. Interesting.
My favorite verse for today: Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. (v. 16)