When the speaker in our chapel service this morning announced his theme, I was reminded of the conversation I had with my family a month ago. At that time, @kopiko-blanca shared his reflection based on Psalm 31:1-34, which is about the idea of God as security.
The text this morning is Psalm 37:3-5. This is a popular text:
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
I think for the phrase "he will do this" to make sense, verse 6 must be included:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
The preacher interpreted the text from an experiential and autobiographical perspective. It's more of a personal testimony of how he has proven the truth of the biblical text in his own life.
As usual, while listening, I was doing my own exegetical analysis of the text. I am glad that through our chapel service, I received a biblical text to contemplate.
This is the question that the speaker announced:
How can we find true peace and security in a world of uncertainty?
I find such a question very relevant. He then mentioned afterward about endurance, delight, and the success of personal plans.
I struggle to find the central idea in the text and the fallen condition focus. One thing is clear. The psalmist talks about biblical trust.
If trust is the theme, I observe that his understanding of trust is radically different from the contemporary understanding of the term. Moreover, if trust is the theme, then it addresses our problems of unbelief, wavering, lack of trust, and even our superficial understanding of this very important biblical word. If this is accurate, we find then grace in this text by the way the psalmist's understanding of trust corrects our superficial interpretation of the term.
How does the Psalmist understand trust? In what way does his understanding of the term correct our misinterpretation of it?
I see here trust plays a big role as the antidote, the solution, the grace that we need to address the current difficulties we have.
From Passivity to Active Service
We misunderstand the word "trust" if our interpretation of it does not lead us to a commitment to do good. Biblical trust is active. Biblical trust knows the meaning of commitment. Biblical trust will lead the people of God to an active service or ministry.
Unfortunately, we misuse the word trust if it does not lead us to action. Trust and a passive Christian life cannot be reconciled. We see this among Christians who use the word "faith" as an excuse for planning and active service. It is here that the Psalmist's understanding of the term functions as a cure for our passivity. After saying the phrase "trust in the Lord," he added, "do good." This tells us that faith and action are inseparable. Moreover, in verse 5, he adds, "Commit your way to the Lord." Again, this tells us that faith and commitment go together. It is anomalous to see people who claim to have faith and yet cannot commit themselves to the Lord but follow their own desires.
From Negativity to Delight
It is understandable if the world sees the Christian life as miserable. This is natural, for they view happiness differently. They seek happiness in life, but it seems that such a life evades them. This is because happiness comes after seeking another thing. In other words, happiness is the outcome when you seek something else. Unfortunately, this something is strange to many, particularly in an age characterized by sexual permissiveness and perversity.
To live a happy life, one must seek holiness. A holy life means a whole life, a life living in shalom where all types of stripes that afflict a miserable life have been taken away.
It is one thing for the world to see the Christian life as miserable, and another thing for the followers of God to accept it as part of their daily reality. Such a life for Christians is an anomaly. In the eyes of the Psalmist, life in God should be characterized with joy and delight, and that is why he wants to dwell in it. Sadly, not a few who claim to be Christians choose to dwell in the past, nurturing their pains, instead of living in joy and delight. Again, this is where we need grace. A biblical understanding of trust will correct our negative view of life, that instead of living in misery and pain, we are called to live with joy and delight.
From Barreness to Productivity
A life characterized by negativity cannot bear godly fruits. It produces bitterness, complaints, and hostility. It cannot be grateful for life.
A negative life is not appropriate for the people of God, for we are called to become productive. If we say that we trust God and yet our fruits do not show it, it is either we are deceiving ourselves or we are still living under the power of sin.
Our text tells us that those who trust in the Lord will be given the desires of their hearts. This text has been misinterpreted for so long. We usually equate the phrase "the desires of your heart" to our plans, which are primarily self-centered. They include the desire to become wealthy, to own a big house, and other material things. We are told that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, we will be given all these things. This is equivalent to using "trust in God" as a formula to obtain our things.
Remember that such a delight should characterize biblical trust. Trust, in the Psalmist sense of the word, is God-focused; it cannot be self-centered. Naturally, we are self-centered. However, if biblical trust is God-focused, it follows that the hearts of those who delight in Him will be changed from self-centered to God-centered. If our hearts are fully focused on God, then our hearts cannot help but desire the things of God. It is in this sense that we must understand this popular verse. Yes, if we delight in Him, He will give the desires of our hearts that please Him.
Verse 5 concludes with this:
and he will do this.
I struggle to understand what the demonstrative pronoun "this" refers to. If we disconnect verse 6, it may refer to God-centered desires, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, verse 6 is nearer to the phrase "he will do this" than "the desires of your heart" in verse 4. And besides, verse 6 is very clear about what God will do to those who trust in him. There is this "righteous reward" promised to those who trust in him. This reward will shine like the dawn. It is also described as "vindication" that will shine like the noonday sun.
The reward or the vindication of the righteous is usually hidden in the dark. As such, his acts of righteousness instead of being rewarded are usually punished by men. This tells us that if you commit yourself to doing good, don't expect men to appreciate it. Look up to God as the ultimate source of your consolation.