Psalm 37:35 & 36

Sometimes the wicked really seem to flourish and appear to be more successful and prosperous than good, clean-living, upright people! This is in fact, a truth presented in Scripture with which we still struggle. How come evil and evil people seem to make so much headway? For so many Christians it appears as if they are perpetually coming against the headwinds. No sooner are they up, then they are knocked down again. It goes well for a while, then it all seems to crash. On the other hand, the ungodly often seem to unendingly thrive, moving along unperturbed and untouched by the struggles and calamities good people face regularly. However, I just want to reassure us from Scripture that things are not always what they appear. Just looking at things superficially can really cause us to dismay and draw unrealistic and unsubstantiated conclusions.

I find it most interesting what the proficient author of Psalm 37 states about the wicked. He declares “I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree” (v35). What an expression “. . . the wicked in great power . . .” He observes the wicked not only in power, but in great power. Not only in great power but spreading himself like a green bay tree. The imagery of the green bay tree is suggestive of vitality, strength and success. However, the Psalmist does not stop there, he quickly proceeds to inform his readers about what happened next. Sometimes, we forget to read the conclusion. We cannot bypass the conclusion! The Psalmist quickly moves from the prologue to the main story to the epilogue and in this case, as in many cases the epilogue is so critical. He succinctly states “Yet he passed away and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found” (v36)

Beloved, so often we are misled into thinking that evil has the upper hand always and those who perpetrate evil shall forever prevail and endure. Therefore, we are tempted to fret and pity ourselves and think unspiritually and irrationally. We think that nothing will work out for us and the evil ones will always triumph and get away with evil. We often forget that according to the divine, inerrant Word of God that there is a divine limit placed upon evil and that evil shall proceed so far and then no more. (2 Tim.3:9). May we never forget this enlightening passage of scripture – where we see the remarkable, meteoric, sensational rise of the wicked in great power and then almost just as sudden we find – “Yet he passed away!”

Holy Father please help us to remember that as sure as we live, we must die and that we must all stand before the judgement seat of the Almighty God, our Savior and Redeemer. May we meticulously follow the instruction given at the beginning of this exquisite Psalm of David – “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2). It greatly encourages us to know, it’s only what’s done for Christ will last! The wicked appear to thrive but it is only temporary!