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| Artwork Credit: Woman in a Meadow (1900) by Karol Miloslav Lehotský (1878–1929). Public domain image accessed via Artvee.com. |
Psalm 37 was written in a time of tension. The righteous could see that the wicked prospered, and the instruction was to respond with trust. “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity” (Ps 37:1, NKJV). David was showing what faith holds onto when life seems unfair.
In this setting, we read the familiar words: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (v. 4). The surrounding verses form the posture behind those words. Trusting, committing one’s way to the Lord (v. 5), and waiting patiently for Him (v. 7) all speak of a heart that finds stability in Him.
Delight, in this psalm, flows from surrender. The woman who delights in the Lord may still carry longing, but her joy is no longer tied to outcomes. Over time, her desires begin to change. The things she once asked for begin to align with what pleases God. She still waits, still hopes, still grieves at times, but her footing holds because the object of her delight does not change.
Some longings return each day without relief. Some prayers stretch across years. Psalm 37 offers comfort through a slow unfolding. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way” (v. 23). The one who walks with the Lord does not need to compete with the wicked or chase a timeline. Every movement of the faithful is seen, guided, and appointed by Him.
This kind of life may appear uneventful from the outside. But it is the life shaped by trust. The woman who rests in God rather than fighting to secure her own desires has learned something precious. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him…” (v. 7). Of course, this rest might still come with tears. But it should be molded by our confidence that the Lord is still good, still attentive, and still wise in what He gives.
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