Psalm 37:21–22, “The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.”
Key Thought: Giving reflects trust.
Prayer: Because I have been made righteous, help me to be generous and faithful.
In Psalm 37, David contrasts the way God protects and saves His people with the ruin which awaits the wicked. He describes not only the blessings of the righteous but also their character and conduct. The Lord blesses the righteous with the promise of an inheritance, protection, provision, and His presence.
“Evil men borrow but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous.” (Psalm 37:21).
The contrasting actions of the wicked and the righteous reveal their purpose of heart in relation to generosity.
“The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives.”
David concluded that the difference between the wicked and the righteous was not only found in what they believed and in whom they trusted. The difference was also often seen in their conduct. The wicked are takers, borrowing and not repaying. The righteous are givers, full of mercy.
One of the marks of a wicked person is his lack of trustworthiness. The idea is that he lives in a condition of lack that leads to borrowing but will not have the means of repaying what he has borrowed; that he will be “reckless” about borrowing and careless about paying.
In contrast, a righteous person not only meets his obligations, he practices generosity. The righteous have what they need because God blesses them, and therefore they can give to others. The righteous will not only have enough for himself, but will have the means of showing mercy to others, giving to them what they need. It is a characteristic of a righteous man that he will not borrow when he can avoid it and that he will be punctual in paying what he has borrowed.
“Surely those favored by the Lord will possess the land, but those rejected by Him will be wiped out” (Psalm 37:22).
This verse emphasizes that the righteous will receive favor, blessing, stability, and inheritance from God, while those who reject Him face destruction. The consequence of rejecting God and His ways brings all forms of despair on earth and eternal separation from God.
Reflection question: In what ways does the heart of the righteous demonstrate generosity to others?
Psalm 37:20,But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the Lord, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away.
Key Thought: Wickedness has an expiration date
Prayer: Fix my heart on eternal things while I address conditions in the present time
Psalm 37:20 teaches that evil is not permanent. Its seeming beauty and power are temporary because its end is disappearance. Verse 20 magnifies themes already introduced in verses 2, 9, 10, and 13. Evil has an expiration date.
“But the wicked shall perish” As stated in previous verses, the Hebrew word for perish means lost, ruined, or brought to nothing. It does not always mean immediate physical death. It indicates loss of standing, loss of influence, and removal from covenant blessing.
“The enemies of the Lord” This verse shifts from “the wicked” to describe those who are actively opposed to God’s purposes. Being an “enemy of the Lord” is not merely personal immorality; it includes opposition to righteousness, justice, and harm toward people.
The psalm reassures those of us who serve God that our conflict is not merely with people, but with forces that resist God’s way. As Paul wrote, we don’t “wrestle” (or fret with) “flesh and blood” (people). We contend with spiritual forces that manifest through people.
“Like the splendor of the meadows” The psalmist uses this beautiful picture to describe the suddenness of the removal of the wicked. He makes reference to a lush pasture with green grass and fields in full bloom. But grass in the ancient Near East was seasonal. After rain, it flourished brilliantly, but under the heat of the sunlight, it withered quickly.
David’s point: Wickedness may look vibrant and powerful, but it is seasonal. Like “smoke,” the wicked and enemies of the Lord “shall vanish away.” He is not describing a gradual fade, but a disappearance that leaves no trace.
Again, we do not need to worry and fret about evildoers. We should stay focused on serving God, doing His will, and serving others. We will address systems that adversely affect people, but we won’t engage in warfare against people, rather against the spiritual forces that motivate them.
Reflection question: How do you keep your heart at peace in times like these?
Watch Brief Video from Black History Exhibit at the Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan
Psalm 145:4, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.”
While my wife and I vacationed in Michigan in 2022, we visited the Ford Museum in Dearborn. We happened upon an excellent Black History exhibit that included a replica of the bus on which Rosa Parks sat. Her refusal to yield her seat to a White man triggered the Montgomery bus boycott. This was one of the key moments of the Civil Rights movement that began to break down the wall of racial segregation and injustice against Black People.
Her simple, courageous act of civil disobedience, along with the efforts of many other such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, eventually led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
This was an interactive exhibit, so I was able to sit where Rosa Parks sat in the famous re-enactment photo.
This brief video shares my reflections in that moment. We thank God for our ancestors and all other courageous Americans, whether well known or “hidden figures” on whose shoulders we stand.
An important takeaway as we reflect on the legacy of people like Rosa Parks:
We should not only remember that we continuing legacy, we are also creating legacy for those who follow us by our service to God's kingdom and our community.
Psalm 37:18–19, The Lord knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
Key Thought: God pays attention to you
Prayer: Teach me to trust You every day, regardless of the circumstances.
“The LORD knows the days of the upright” God cares for you, is overseeing you, and is not missing any details. We think of days in terms of calendar dates, special events, and conditions. God sees our days over the entire span of life. God sees days as seasons, including seasons of ease and seasons of hardship.
“Their inheritance shall be forever” The Lord sees seasons because He is a generational God. The Lord was thinking about you when your great-grandparents were in the prime of their lives. Not many of us had the opportunity to know our great-grandparents, but what God put in them was also an inheritance for you. And what God is putting in you will be an inheritance for your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and people with whom you relate over the course of your life.
Sometimes circumstances can make you feel insignificant, but we are all here by God’s design and purpose. That’s why your days are very important – it’s not about a feeling. God knows your days.
Part of our inheritance is not simply material things that are handed down to us from family members. Most of our ancestors did not have the material possessions that we have today. Many had something much greater: They had faith in God, integrity, talents, and the will to overcome and succeed.
The most significant inheritance is the virtues we have from the Lord that we can leave for others. God Himself is our ultimate inheritance.
“And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.” Famine is extreme scarcity, whether material or spiritual. Amos 8:11 reads, When I will send a famine throughout the land, not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but rather a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
The present famine of “hearing the words of the Lord” leaves a void that material things cannot fulfill. We cannot overemphasize the importance of receiving the Word of God, being a doer of the Word, and recognizing that Jesus is the Word.
Because the inheritance is forever, we always overcome famine—whether material or spiritual—because, as Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Reflection question: What are some specific ways you are aware that God knows your days?
Psalm 37:16,A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.
Key Thought: More without God is emptiness.
Prayer: Teach me gratitude and sufficiency.
The word “little” does not equate to poverty. It acknowledges modest or middle-class means. Most people in the world have limited resources, influence, recognition, and limited visible success. But none of these are the factors that define personal righteousness.
What makes the “little” valuable is not the amount, but the person who possesses it and the God who sustains him. A righteous person’s resources are honestly obtained, spiritually supported, and shared with others.
The Hebrew word for “better” means good, beneficial, and advantageous. The “better” that the righteous possess is dedicated to better purposes. Things that are small but blessed surpass what is great but corrupted. The righteous do not need excess to be secure.
Wicked wealth may look impressive, but it lacks divine backing. The righteous may operate in modest conditions, but they are supported by an eternal Kingdom system. Jesus Christ embodied this principle.
Ultimately, we measure our lives by faithfulness and serving others, not by accumulation.
Reflection question: How do you measure "more" and "better?"
