My Year Verse, Part 1

Psalms 37:3-4
3. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the Land and prosper.
4. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your hearts desires.

My year's verse is actually a passage and includes Psalms 37:3-7 and 23 - 24. I thought I would break it down verse by verse to really dive into what God wants from me. What does it really mean?

Trust in the Lord. What does it really mean to trust in the Lord? What am I trusting the Lord for? I think it is important to go back and look at verse 1 because there is a contrast here. Verse 1 says, "Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong." This helps put a perspective on what verse 3 means. In this case, it is talking about finances. The contrast is comparing someone who is wicked who seems to be have all the means they need. I can't help to think of the magazine headlines which flaunt the lifestyle of the famous as being glamorous and something to be desired. But David, the author of this Psalm is saying, don't worry about what others are doing, just trust in the Lord and do what is right, then you will live safely and prosper. Verse 2 talks about how the wicked with fade away. But verse three says that if you trust in the Lord, you will be safe and prosper.

To take this verse a step further. I need to trust in the Lord for all of my needs, including emotional, health, and financial. He is all I need. I do trust God will provide for my family. He has, even in the financial crisis, he provides just what we need. For me, the challenge is trusting the Lord in ALL areas of my life. Completely surrendering everything to him. Now, that is the challenge. Do I trust the Lord in my relationships? Do I trust the Lord in my day to day situations? My part is to do good. To do what God requires of me. At the school I work at, there is a saying, Character is doing good, even when no one is watching. Am I doing my part? If I want God's blessings in my life, I need to do my part, that is to do good even when some one hurts me or wrongs me. What is my reaction going to be? How will I treat the other person? Will I be kind to them?

Take delight in the Lord and he will give you your hearts desires. Once again, we have a two part verse here, my part and God's part. In this case, my part is to delight in the Lord. God's part is he will give you your hearts desires. What does it mean to take delight in the Lord? How do you delight in the Lord? As I read through the other scriptures that also use the would delight, they all make reference to following God's commands, doing what is right.

Psalms 1:2 But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants, day and night they think about his law.
Psalms 111;2 How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them.
Psalms 119:47 How I delight in your commands! How I love them!
Psalms 119:70 Their hearts are dull and stupid, but I delight in your law.
Psalms 119:77 Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your law is my delight.
Psalms 119:111 Your decrees are my treasure; they are truly my hearts delight.
Proverbs 23:26 O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes delight in my ways of wisdom.
Isaiah 11:3 He will delight in obeying the Lord.

Well, looking at some of the other verses that talk about taking delight in the Lord makes it very clear that to take delight in the Lord means to obey his word, study his word, know his word. Basically, just spending time in the word. For me, just putting God first in my life and spending time with the Lord. Then He will give you your hearts desires. That is the promise. It reminds me of our own children. Although I would do anything for them. When they want to spend time with me and when they want to obey my commands, then I want to give them what they want, provided it is good for them. But I am more eager to give them their desires when they are doing what is right and when they invest in me.