Shayna Joyner
Intro to Biblical Literature
Brower
10/3/14
Psalm Analysis Paper
Psalm 37 Written of David, Psalm 37 expresses different righteous ways of the Lord, and how to be a better follower. The Psalm not only directly tells you what one needs to do in order to become more Christ-like, but it also shows one how to be a better follower through imagery, making God himself seem more tangible. Psalm 37 instructs one how to wait, shows the end of Godless people, proves that God will help the righteous, and describes what happens to righteous people, while being apparent in our lives each day. Something that I personally struggle with is waiting on God’s timing. A lot of times I find myself wanting things to happen on my own time, rather than …show more content…
Psalm 37:1-11 instructs us in how to wait for God. In verse 3 he tells us to “trust in the Lord and do good”. In waiting for the Lord’s timing the Lord wants us to rest in him but he also wants us to do good through him, asking for his trust and guidance. In verse 7 it is written “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him”. We must wait for God and his plan, and we must wait patiently. We cannot do things on our own timing, but if we wait patiently we will prosper in his timing. The verses also include imagery in verses 2 and 6. In verse 2 he compares those who do evil to grass that will soon wither and “like green plants they will soon die away.” In verse 6 he states that our “righteous reward will shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Both of these verses show us imagery in that one paints a picture of what will happen to those who are evil or envious of those who do wrong, while the other shows the result if you commit your ways to the Lord and trust in him. Verses 1-11 not only talk about waiting for God’s timing, but it also talks about the evil. The verses do not state that we …show more content…
Be still and wait patiently. Both of those things that if you are a devoted follower of God one must do. I think that with how society is today we forget to be still before the Lord. Especially living on a college campus that is centered around Christianity I find myself having to do all these things, thinking that it will please God. There is so much God going on around the campus, whether it be chapel, church, campus ministry events, bible studies, or just conversations surrounded around God. Although that is all pleasing to God and he loves all of that, sometimes he wants us to just be with him. I find myself being caught up in God, making him a checklist and a routine more than anything. I find myself comparing all the time, comparing myself to others looking at their faith from the outside. I find myself thinking that if someone is doing all these “Godly” things and events then they have their faith all put together. But the verse in Psalms shows us that even though those Godly things are pleasing to him, he also wants us to be still in him. In order for him to work in us we must wait patiently for him, which may mean cutting down the busyness and routine. We should be intentional about who he is. To delight ourselves in him is not only a duty, but a privilege and we must find rest in him. God is working in us daily but if we don’t stop and be still before him and wait patiently, we may never see the