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When we scroll through our various social media feeds, turn on the TV, or read the news, it may appear that those who peddle evil are prospering at this moment…. Fret not, fellow Christian. Instead, ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.’”
–WILLIAM WOLFE
When you read the Psalms, you will quickly, and rightly, notice their repetition. This is intentional. Remember, the Psalms are often meant as musical pieces, or to be “set to music.”
Sometimes, however, the repetition comes in the form of a command. When we come across that, we should definitely take notice. God is trying to get our attention — and telling us what to do.
Such a sequence occurs in the first nine verses of Psalm 37. Unlike other Psalms in which David is lamenting his own personal trials, or calling on the Lord for help, Psalm 37 is chock full of positive commands for faithful servants of the Lord.
And in the first nine verses in particular, the focus is on “fretting” — specifically, on how not to fret but rather to have faith in God.
We see this three-fold repetition in verses 1-2 (emphasis mine):
“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”
Verse 7:
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
And verse 8:
“Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”
First, David instructs us to fret not over evildoers in general. Second, he reminds us to fret not over the one who “prospers in his way,” that is, the man who is apparently successful in carrying out his “evil devices.” Third, the final exhortation is to “fret not yourself” in general as the act of fretting “tends only to evil.”
Now, “fret” isn’t a word that we use all that often in the 21st century, so what does it mean? The definition of “fret” is to “be constantly or visibly worried or anxious.” In other words, God is instructing His people, through David, not to worry. It’s a simple yet profound command: Don’t worry about the evil that you see, even when it appears — according to all standards of human observation — to be ruling the day.
This command not to worry, however, isn’t some Christian version of The Lion King’s catchy little ditty “Hakuna ma tata” (no worries). No, it is a call to remember the God who reigns, even over the wicked, and a call to take positive action towards productive and righteous ends.
And these verses give us more than enough alternatives to fretting! In fact, in these first nine verses of Psalm 37, we find at least eight ways (depending on how you break it out) that we as Christians can respond in the face of evil that would honor God and display our confidence in Him.
God commands us to “fret not,” and instead, through the Psalmist, calls us to 1) Trust in the Lord; 2) Do good; 3) Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness; 4) Delight yourself in the Lord; 5) Commit your way to the Lord; 6) Trust in Him to act; 7) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; and 8) Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.
When we scroll through our various social media feeds, turn on the TV, or read the news, it may appear that those who peddle evil are prospering at this moment. Perhaps you, like me, have been prone to be “visibly worried or anxious” over the evil we see raging in our nation right now, and even more, discouraged by how many in the Church seem to parrot the talking points of the world instead of responding with a uniquely Biblical message. If so, I hope you find strength and encouragement in Psalm 37, as I have.
Fret not, fellow Christian. Instead, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”
Fret not, but take heart. Do not worry, but remember that God still rules and reigns over all of creation and nothing takes Him by surprise. Fret not, it tends only to evil. Don’t worry, but “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Pray, trust, pull your shoulders back, put a smile on your face, and do the good you can do today, wherever God has you, while you wait for Him to “bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday.”
Allow me, like the Psalmist, to be repetitive. When tempted to be discouraged by the evils in life, or the trials you face, fret not. Instead, strive to:
How can we have this confidence? Because of the promise found in Psalm 37:9: “For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.” Fret not — and have faith instead.
Follow William on Twitter! @William_E_Wolfe
Ready to dive deeper into the intersection of faith and policy? Head over to our Theology of Politics series page where we’ve published several long-form pieces that will help Christians navigate where their faith should direct them on political issues.
