Verses 21-26 contain one of the most precious pictures of our heavenly Father’s care in all of the Bible. The psalmist also states truths about an area of life that Jesus gives much attention to in His teachings: money.
Vs. 21: The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.
The wicked see money as a way of getting what they think will give them ultimate satisfaction or identity. They grab what they can, sometimes through great injustice. Even if they accumulate wealth through legitimate means, they spend it all on themselves or go deeply into debt. When the bottom falls out, they slip into despair and hopelessness.
It is all too easy, even as believers, to make money a source of security above God. When the economy is shaky and when forces beyond our control threaten our financial resources, it can be easy to gather what we have to ourselves and hold back from generous giving.
But Christians who see money in the light of Christ’s lordship and His kingdom, give without fear, sometimes when they are needy themselves. They know where true wealth lies. They know the Lord will provide for them and repay them, even if they must wait until eternity.
Vs. 22: Those the Lord blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die.
Even in the midst of troubled times, God calls His people to choose obedience and the joy and peace it brings. Those who refuse to repent, who consistently refuse God’s loving call to them, will forfeit His life-giving presence and blessings. Eventually, they will experience the destruction their pathway of unbelief leads them to.
Vs. 23 – 24: The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
These verses are the most comforting and relevant in this section for what we as believers are facing today in a nation and world awash with a multitude of crises. In the midst of it all, we wonder if our lives, our faithfulness to God, make any difference. But verse 23 echoes Proverbs 16:9, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (NLT).
God is forever sovereign and he takes personal responsibility for each of His children. He never lets us out of His sight, never abandons us but strengthens and comforts us. No detail is too tiny or mundane to escape His interest and concern. He directs our steps and our circumstances, waiting to guide us and help us when we call out to him. And even when we don’t! He does this not just because He wants us to partner with Him in changing the world, but because He passionately loves us and loves to be with us.
He is so wise and powerful and good that even when we “stumble,” he takes our sins, mistakes, and imperfections, and uses them for His purposes. After all, He took the murderous plans of wicked leaders against His Son and used them to enact His plan of redemption through the cross.
Vs. 25: Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.
God remains faithful throughout our lives and never forsakes us, just as He promises in so many places in His Word. Yet the second half of this verse leaves me troubled and confused. There are starving Christians. So is this promise an empty one? No. As I stated in a previous blog on this psalm, we are in the midst of a great spiritual battle. Our enemy is determined to harass, hinder, or destroy those created in the image of the blessed and only God he despises. The words we read here are a general principle of God’s faithful character and His willingness and ability to provide. We are called to trust in His power, love, and goodness even when He seems to have abandoned us.
Vs. 26: The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.
Godly people understand that the knowledge of Christ and His gift of salvation is the greatest legacy they can pass on to future generations. Against all opposition and bids for affection and attention from the world, they disciple their children and grandchildren, training them to refuse ungodliness and pursue righteousness. As a result, these children enjoy the blessings of living in intimate fellowship with the Father as His beloved sons and daughters. They become ambassadors for Him to a dying world and “soldiers of the cross” against demonic forces of darkness as God’s rule and reign are ushered in.
My next blog on Psalms 37 will be the last of this series. I hope you’ve been encouraged and will stand strong in this time with the help of God’s Holy Spirit and by His love.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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