Psalm 37
1Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong. 2For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants. 3Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 4Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it. 6He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun. 7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. 8Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm. 9For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. 10Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11But the meek will inherit the land and delight in abundant prosperity. 12The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, 13but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming. 14The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. 15But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. 16Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many who are wicked. 17For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. 18The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will last forever. 19In the time of evil they will not be ashamed, and in the days of famine they will be satisfied. 20But the wicked and enemies of the LORD will perish like the glory of the fields. They will vanish; like smoke they will fade away. 21The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving. 22Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, but the cursed will be destroyed. 23The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. 24Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand. 25I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread. 26They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing. 27Turn away from evil and do good, so that you will abide forever. 28For the LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off. 29The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. 30The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 31The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter. 32Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them, 33the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned under judgment. 34Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will raise you up to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it. 35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, 36yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found. 37Consider the blameless and observe the upright, for posterity awaits the man of peace. 38But the transgressors will all be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. 39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40The LORD helps and delivers them; He rescues and saves them from the wicked, because they take refuge in Him.
Life is short. Where are you going?
You just read God’s own words, and one day every one of us will stand before Him. “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). This life will be over sooner than you think — do you know where you are going when it is?
The Bible says, “Man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). If you died today, would you be ready?
Are you a good person?
Most of us think we are. But God doesn’t measure us against other people — He measures us by His Law. Look honestly at the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3–17):
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
- You shall not make for yourself an idol.
- You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
- Honor your father and mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness.
- You shall not covet.
Have you ever told a lie — even a small one? Have you ever taken something that wasn’t yours? Have you ever used God’s name as a curse word? Have you ever wanted what belongs to someone else? Jesus said that anyone who looks with lust “has already committed adultery … in his heart” (Matthew 5:28), and the Bible says “everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15).
If we’re honest, we have all broken God’s Law — and “whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” (James 2:10). “There is no one righteous, not even one … there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10–12).
That leaves every one of us guilty before a holy God. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and “whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). This is why our world is full of tragedy — and without Christ, every life ends in the greatest tragedy of all.
But God made a way
“God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus lived the perfect life we never could, and on the cross He took the punishment we deserved: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Three days later He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
It’s like standing guilty in court when the judge steps down and pays your fine himself. Forgiveness is a free gift — you can’t earn it: “It is by grace you have been saved through faith … it is the gift of God, not by works” (Ephesians 2:8–9). “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” Jesus — John 10:10
What will you do with Jesus?
“Repent and believe in the gospel!” (Mark 1:15). Turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus alone — “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Don’t put it off — “now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
And when you turn to Him, you won’t be met with a frown — you’ll be met with a celebration. Jesus said, “there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). God says, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). He is “mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness … He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). Like the father who ran to embrace his lost son, He is waiting with open arms — and heaven throws a party when you come home (Luke 15:20–24).
If you died today, where would you spend eternity? Today you can be forgiven, made new, and have real, abundant life — now and forever.
Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which is in the public domain.