"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WHAT THE LORD DOES FOR HIS PEOPLE"
Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.
Psalm 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
Some explanatory thoughts, application, explanation, questions and a prayer:
This Psalm of David deals with two truths about God. It reveals to us how God deals with the wicked and with His own people.
The wicked act without knowing that God sees them, and that God will one day act towards them.
The righteous can take comfort in knowing that God is aware of them ( in their plight and difficulties ) and that He will ultimately deliver them. We see in this Psalm, "The ways of the Lord" In particular the ways of the LORD towards His own people.
1. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.
Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.
God orders or directs the steps of a good man.
How true it is that we are not always aware in the moment of Gods directing our steps.
But, later on down the road as we look back we may be able to see very clearly how He was directing
Sometimes we are more conscious of His direction, when we hear HIm speaking to us and directing us right from His Word.
Thus one of the benefits of being in the Word regularly, is that you place yourself in a position when God can clearly speak to you, and you can be very aware that He is speaking to you.
2. The LORD delights in the way of a good man.
Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.
Here we see that every detail of our lives is of interest to the Lord.
He takes delight in every single detail of our lives.
We are His children, and he cares more than we can imagine.
The word delights means, to take pleasure in, be pleased with.
So that's what He does.
He takes great pleasure in all aspects of our lives.
3. Though a good man fall, he will not be utterly cast down.
Psalm 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
This is a very comforting truth.
The fact is that we do fall.
What man is there that does not sin.
But when we do fall, or sin, we are told here that we will not be utterly cast down.
We do and will stumble, and we will fall.
But that is not the end of the story.
We are in the hands of God.
4. The LORD will uphold him with His hand.
Psalm 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
This verse ends the thought and the truth for us of how God acts towards us when we do fall and stumble.
Here's what the Lord does for His people.
He upholds them with His hand.
Or He holds them by the hand.
Just as a parent would take hold of and keep holding the hand of their child, the Lord does not let go of us.
He holds our hands.
Questions:
1. Does it ever seem to You that God is not really there?
2. Haven't we all had those times, wondering where the Lord is?
3. But isn't it also true that God's Word tells us exactly where He is?
4. And isn't it true that God's Word tells us what God is doing in our lives?
A prayer:
Father, as we are in this day of our lives, a day that You have given us life and breath, we want to say thank You for Your exquisite and precise consistent never ending care for us. Who but You could care so much for us, and who but You has the capacity to exercise such loving and powerful and meaningful care for His children. Thank you Father in Jesus name.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
