"The Lord directs the steps of the godly"
Psalm 37:12-29
View commentary related to this passage
12 The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. 13 But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.
14 The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. 15 But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. 17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.
18 Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. 19 They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.
20 But the wicked will die. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. 22 Those the Lord blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die.
23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. 26 The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.
27 Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly.
He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die. 29 The godly will possess the land and will live there forever.
New Living Translation (NLT)
"IN the Christian life everything de-pends upon the Word of God. It is true that God is able and desires to keep us from sinning, but this must be done through His Word. So it is written, "By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." Psalm 17:4. "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11. This is the way that God has appointed, and there is no other way to have this thing accomplished.
Nor is this way appointed merely because He arbitrarily chose that this should be the way and then laid it upon men that this must be the way that they should go. His Word is the way of salvation and the way of sanctification (Christian living) because this is the way that the Lord does things, because this is the way that He manifests Himself. It was by His Word that He created all things in the beginning. It is by His Word that He creates men anew, and it will be by His Word that He will recreate this world and all things pertaining to it. "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. . . . For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33:6-9. "Being born again . . . by the word of God." 1 Peter 1:23. "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. . . . And he said unto me, It is done." Revelation 21:5-6.
It is not only that the worlds were created by the Word of God, but they are also sustained by the same Word. "By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby [by the Word of God] the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store." 2 Peter 3:5-7. So also it is not only that the Christian is created by the Word of God, but by that same Word He is sustained, nourished, and caused to grow. God holds up "all things" by His powerful Word. And the Christian is among this "all things" no less than any or all the worlds.
There can be no question whatever that all the worlds are held up and held in their places by the Lord. But it is not only all the worlds, it is "all things" that are held up and held in place by the Lord. And it is as true of the Christian as it is of any star in the firmament or any world on high. Nor can there be any question that the stars and the worlds are held up and held in their courses by the Word of the Lord. And no less than this can there be any question that the Christian is held up and held in his right course by the Word of the Lord.
This is to be believed and depended upon by everyone who professes the name of Christ. You and I can no more hold ourselves up and in the right way than can the sun or the earth. And as certainly as the worlds are dependent upon His Word, so certainly is the Christian to depend upon His Word. And when this is so, the Christian is kept in the way of the Lord as certainly and as easily as is any planet in the universe. It is written that He "is able to keep you from falling." Jude 24. And He says, "I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10. "Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." Romans 14:4.
O struggling, failing Christian, is not that Word which holds up great worlds able also to hold you up? Trust that Word. Depend implicitly upon it. Rest wholly upon it, and then you will find rest in it. Trust the Lord to hold you up, just as you trust Him to hold up the sun. His Word holds up the sun, and His Word is over and over to you, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee . . . I will uphold thee." Isaiah 41:10. I will keep thee, thou art mine. "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5. I will never leave thee till I have done that thing which I have spoken to thee of.
"The word of God is quick ['living,' R. V.], and powerful." Hebrews 4:12. "Powerful" means "full of power." The Word of God is living and full of power, to do for you, with you, and in you, all that that Word says. Believe that Word, trust it, for it is the Word of the living God. It is the Word of the pitying Saviour. "Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." James 1:21. "I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up." Acts 20:32. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Colossians 3:16. You "are kept by the power of God through faith." 1 Peter 1:5. The power of God is manifested through His Word and therefore it is His powerful Word. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God; therefore, it is the faithful Word, the Word full of faith. Therefore when He says, you "are kept by the power of God through faith" (1 Peter 1:5), it is only saying in another way, You are kept by the Word of God, "unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:5. Believe that Word, trust it, and find its keeping power."
A.T. Jones "Kept by the Word"
View commentary related to this passage
12 The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. 13 But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.
14 The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. 15 But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich. 17 For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.
18 Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. 19 They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.
20 But the wicked will die. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. 22 Those the Lord blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die.
23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. 26 The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.
27 Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly.
He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die. 29 The godly will possess the land and will live there forever.
New Living Translation (NLT)
"IN the Christian life everything de-pends upon the Word of God. It is true that God is able and desires to keep us from sinning, but this must be done through His Word. So it is written, "By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." Psalm 17:4. "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11. This is the way that God has appointed, and there is no other way to have this thing accomplished.
Nor is this way appointed merely because He arbitrarily chose that this should be the way and then laid it upon men that this must be the way that they should go. His Word is the way of salvation and the way of sanctification (Christian living) because this is the way that the Lord does things, because this is the way that He manifests Himself. It was by His Word that He created all things in the beginning. It is by His Word that He creates men anew, and it will be by His Word that He will recreate this world and all things pertaining to it. "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. . . . For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33:6-9. "Being born again . . . by the word of God." 1 Peter 1:23. "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. . . . And he said unto me, It is done." Revelation 21:5-6.
It is not only that the worlds were created by the Word of God, but they are also sustained by the same Word. "By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby [by the Word of God] the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store." 2 Peter 3:5-7. So also it is not only that the Christian is created by the Word of God, but by that same Word He is sustained, nourished, and caused to grow. God holds up "all things" by His powerful Word. And the Christian is among this "all things" no less than any or all the worlds.
There can be no question whatever that all the worlds are held up and held in their places by the Lord. But it is not only all the worlds, it is "all things" that are held up and held in place by the Lord. And it is as true of the Christian as it is of any star in the firmament or any world on high. Nor can there be any question that the stars and the worlds are held up and held in their courses by the Word of the Lord. And no less than this can there be any question that the Christian is held up and held in his right course by the Word of the Lord.
This is to be believed and depended upon by everyone who professes the name of Christ. You and I can no more hold ourselves up and in the right way than can the sun or the earth. And as certainly as the worlds are dependent upon His Word, so certainly is the Christian to depend upon His Word. And when this is so, the Christian is kept in the way of the Lord as certainly and as easily as is any planet in the universe. It is written that He "is able to keep you from falling." Jude 24. And He says, "I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10. "Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." Romans 14:4.
O struggling, failing Christian, is not that Word which holds up great worlds able also to hold you up? Trust that Word. Depend implicitly upon it. Rest wholly upon it, and then you will find rest in it. Trust the Lord to hold you up, just as you trust Him to hold up the sun. His Word holds up the sun, and His Word is over and over to you, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee . . . I will uphold thee." Isaiah 41:10. I will keep thee, thou art mine. "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5. I will never leave thee till I have done that thing which I have spoken to thee of.
"The word of God is quick ['living,' R. V.], and powerful." Hebrews 4:12. "Powerful" means "full of power." The Word of God is living and full of power, to do for you, with you, and in you, all that that Word says. Believe that Word, trust it, for it is the Word of the living God. It is the Word of the pitying Saviour. "Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." James 1:21. "I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up." Acts 20:32. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Colossians 3:16. You "are kept by the power of God through faith." 1 Peter 1:5. The power of God is manifested through His Word and therefore it is His powerful Word. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God; therefore, it is the faithful Word, the Word full of faith. Therefore when He says, you "are kept by the power of God through faith" (1 Peter 1:5), it is only saying in another way, You are kept by the Word of God, "unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:5. Believe that Word, trust it, and find its keeping power."
A.T. Jones "Kept by the Word"
posted by Michael A. Redwine at Monday, February 19, 2007
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