Oakwood Church
What to Do When the Wicked Win - Psalm 37
Locations & Times
Oakwood Community Church
11209 Casey Rd, Tampa, FL 33618, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Why do the wicked seem to win?
• V.3 - “Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
• V.9 - “Those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.”
• V. 11 - “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
• V.22 - “But those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land.”
• V.29 - “The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.”
• V.34 - “Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land.”
• V.9 - “Those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.”
• V. 11 - “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
• V.22 - “But those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land.”
• V.29 - “The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.”
• V.34 - “Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land.”
Three godly responses when the wicked win:
1. Trust in the Lord.
2. Be content in the Lord.
3. Do good for the Lord.
1. Trust in the Lord.
2. Be content in the Lord.
3. Do good for the Lord.
1. Trust in the Lord
Psalm 37:1, 7 & 8
“Fret not”
Psalm 37:8
“It tends only to evil.”
Psalm 37:1, 7 & 8
“Fret not”
Psalm 37:8
“It tends only to evil.”
Isaiah 31:1
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!”
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!”
Trusting in the Lord means putting off anxiety, envy, and anger.
Fretting reveals our lack of trust, but envy reveals our selfishness and evil motives in our hearts.
Psalm 37:3
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
Trusting in the Lord means putting on patience and meekness.
Psalm 37:7
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”
Exodus 14:13-14
“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.”
“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.”
To be still isn’t a passive slothfulness. It’s an active restfulness in the Lord.
Psalm 37:11
“But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
“But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
Proverbs 16:32
“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”
“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”
The meek are those who choose the way of patient faith instead of self-assertion.
2. Be content in the Lord
Be content that the Lord will judge.
Be content that the Lord will judge.
Psalm 37:12-15
“The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.”
“The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.”
• V.2 - “For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.”
• V.9 - “For the evildoers shall be cut off.”
• V. 10 - “In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.”
• V.17 - “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken.”
• V.20 - “But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish – like smoke they vanish away.”
• V.28 - “The children of the wicked shall be cut off.”
• V.35 - “I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more.”
• V. 38 - “But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.”
• V.9 - “For the evildoers shall be cut off.”
• V. 10 - “In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.”
• V.17 - “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken.”
• V.20 - “But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish – like smoke they vanish away.”
• V.28 - “The children of the wicked shall be cut off.”
• V.35 - “I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more.”
• V. 38 - “But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.”
Revelation 21:5
“Behold, I make all things new.”
Psalm 37:6
“He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”
“Behold, I make all things new.”
Psalm 37:6
“He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”
Forsake Wrath
Psalm 37:8
“Forsake wrath, for the evildoers shall be cut off.”
Psalm 37:27
“Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.”
Psalm 37:8
“Forsake wrath, for the evildoers shall be cut off.”
Psalm 37:27
“Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.”
Psalm 37:37
“Mark the blameless, and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.”
Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for these shall be called the children of God.”
“Mark the blameless, and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.”
Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for these shall be called the children of God.”
2. Be content in the Lord
Be content that the Lord will provide.
Be content that the Lord will provide.
Psalm 37:16
“Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.”
Psalm 37:24
“Though he (the righteous) fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”
“Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.”
Psalm 37:24
“Though he (the righteous) fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”
Psalm 37:25-26
“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.”
“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.”
2 Corinthians 8:9
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”
3. Do good for the Lord
Psalm 37:3 & 5
“Trust in the Lord, and do good.”
“Commit your way to the Lord.”
Psalm 37:27
“Turn away from evil and do good.”
Psalm 37:3 & 5
“Trust in the Lord, and do good.”
“Commit your way to the Lord.”
Psalm 37:27
“Turn away from evil and do good.”
God always strengthens the righteous.
Psalm 37:28
“He never forsakes His saints.
They are preserved forever.”
“He never forsakes His saints.
They are preserved forever.”
Psalm 37:31
“The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.”
Psalm 37:39
“The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.”
“The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.”
Psalm 37:39
“The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.”
God always restores the righteous.
Psalm 37:40
“The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”
“The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.”
Proverbs 4:18
“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”
“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”
Psalm 37:12
“But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
“But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
What do we do when the wicked seem to win?
We humbly rejoice in Christ that we win in the end.
We humbly rejoice in Christ that we win in the end.