Psalm 37:7-11 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way… Our text being where it is in this psalm is an instance of the great rule that the Lord does nothing by halves. In verse 1 the Lord found His servant liable to fretfulness and envy, and exhorted him to cease from fretting; and He did not stay the operation of His grace till He had perfected that which concerned him, and brought him up to the elevated point of our text, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." Rest is a blessing which properly belongs to the people of God, although they do not enjoy one tithe so much of it as they might. So let us consider — I. THE STEPS TO THIS ROYAL CHAMBER OF REPOSE. They are shown in this psalm — 1. "Fret not thyself." You are not in the fields among the wild beasts; cease to hunt them: Come within doors into your Father's house. Come away from contact with worldlings. The griefs which make the ungodly pine are not for you. Then — 2. When you have thus come out of the field into the palace of love, the first staircase is described as "trust and do." "Trust in the Lord and do good." Not a dead faith which will not serve you at all, but one which will "do" as well as receive. It is through the exercise of faith that comfort comes to the heart. When thou hast learned this lesson, thou wilt have ascended a noble staircase of the royal palace, and it will land thee in the King's dining-room, where it is written, "Verily thou shalt be fed." If thou hast a living, active faith, thou shalt be provided for. Leave the fields, and thy brethren sowing there, who are complaining that their Father never gave them a kid to make merry with their friends — leave them and come up this first staircase of active faith, and sit down where a feast is spread. Then — 3. Ascend higher, and climb the next staircase, which is marked "Delight and desire." "Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Think what a good God thou hast; yea, what a blessed God He is. We have mounted now to the royal treasury, the King's almonry. Here He bids you open all your heart, and pour forth your desires, for He will satisfy them. But you are not up to the royal rest-chamber yet. 4. Climb another stair, marked, "Commit thy way and trust." All the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. What hast thou to do in ordering thine own way? Now, this brings us into the undressing-room, which stands side by side with the royal bedchamber. Take off the dusty garments of thy cares and commit them to the Lord. Strip thyself of all thy anxieties, and leave thy worn and travel-stained raiment. Then enter the quiet chamber and take your rest; "Rest in the Lord." II. THE REST. 1. It is a rest of mind, a sense of security and fixedness; 2. Contentment. 3. Immovable confidence. 4. Submission to all God's will. The Hebrew is, "Be silent to God." One of the old versions reads it, "Hold thou still before God." 5. Patient waiting. Feel that you can waive your desires, and tarry the Lord's leisure. 6. Peace, unmixed calm. 7. Expectation, especially in regard to the Kingdom of God. Do not fret about that. III. THE ROYAL CHAMBER. "Rest in the Lord," in Himself. 1. As your covenant God. 2. As your Father. 3. In His attributes. 4. His word. 5. His will. So that, we can say, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt." ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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