The Cure for Fretting - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
Psalm 37:1

The Cure for Fretting
Three times in this psalm the word "fret" is brought before us (vv. 1, 7, 8). Encouragement to have victory over fretting is the central idea of the psalm. The fretting mentioned here is not to preserve us from being "worry warts," or help us to overcome physiological anxiety, but rather fretting because of the evil which is in the world and because of the evildoers of the world. How can it be that good people suffer while we see "the wicked in great power, and spreading like a green tree in its native soil" (v. 35 jnd)?

Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of them because "they shall soon be cut down like grass" (vv. 1-2). We need to have God's perspective of things and view the situation in the light of eternity. "The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming" (v. 13). And on the positive side, "The meek shall inherit the earth" (v. 11)—did not Christ promise this too (see Mt. 5:5)? God is not unrighteous to forget what you have done and suffered for Him (Heb. 6:10).

The first two exhortations to "not fret" are referring to the evildoers, the wicked "who prospers in his way" (vv. 1, 7). The third mention, however, is in regard to ourselves: "Cease from anger do not fret—it only causes harm" (v. 8). The danger exists that in opposing evil we may become full of anger and wrath ourselves and become like that which we oppose, which only harms our own spirit.

There are five words of exhortation given to help us: (1) Trust in the Lord; (2) Delight yourself in the Lord; (3) Commit (literally, "roll off") your way to the Lord ; (4) Rest in the Lord; and (5) Wait on the Lord (see vv. 3, 4, 5, 7, 34). Let us consider these and meditate upon them.

Brian Reynolds