Psalm 37 Part II with a Christian Philosophy of Life and Living

It you look up “love” in a large concordance like YOUNGS, the first thing you
notice is that more of them are in the book of Psalms than any other of the 66
books of the Bible, and then while scrutinizing Psalms on love you will notice
statements often of what God loves, naturally revelations in the Bible about the
nature and character of God.  We like to know what God is like, realizing that in
His self-revelation of Himself in the Bible, that is, how “every word proceeds out
of the mouth of God”, we can have great confidence of what GOD REALLY
LOVES.
1.  Psalm 11:7-”For the LORD {LORD with capitals always refers in the Bible to
God the Father and Lord to the Lord Jesus Christ, His son} is righteousness
{any ‘is” about God is about His character}, He loves righteousness; His
countenance beholds the upright.”
NOTE:  This implies that God Himself being righteous, and always looking down
on the earth for righteousness--like a radar with a beacon return--focuses on the
“upright”.  And the category of people God Himself calls the UPRIGHT is
something preparatory to the distinguishing in Psalm 37 between the wicked and
the good man.
2.  Psalm 33:4,5-”For the word of the LORD is right, and all his work is done in
truth.  He loves righteousness and judgment; the earth is full of the goodness of
the LORD.”
NOTE:  More people have their eyes honed to see the bad things in the world,
overlooking the good with the mercy and grace of God.  But in all the character
and will of God, both permissive and directed, His love of righteousness and
true justice and judgment dominates.  And as about the LORD God the Father,
so it is about God the Son--loving righteousness and hating wickedness as
below in Psalm 45:6,7.
3.  Psalm 45:6,7-”Your throne O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of
righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.  You love righteousness and hate
wickedness, There God, Your God {the God the Father of the Lord Jesus
Christ, God is talking about Jesus}, has anointed You with the oil of gladness
more than Your companions.”
NOTE 1:  Oh ye of doubts and the sceptics that doubt God the Father is talking
about God the Son must according to the ASPI allow the Apostle Paul in
Hebrews 1:8,9 to properly interpret and explain it for you.  The slow of heart to
believe, might say how could the Lord Jesus Christ be spoken of here in the Old
Testament of Psalm way back to BC, when He was not born until the first of
AD?  Well before we look at the Son in Hebrews 1:8,9, we should remember
John 1 where the “Word was in the beginning with God, and was God, and how
all things were made through the Son; and that Word became flesh in the
person of Jesus of Nazareth, and John and the other Apostles stated, “dwelt
among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father, full of grace an truth.”  (John 1:14}
NOTE 2:  Now you are ready for the Apostle Paul’s quoting and only proper
interpretation of Psalm 45:6,7 above; and hopefully this can settle for you how
both the Father and the Son are at work in the book of Psalms.

“BUT TO THE SON He {God the Father} says:  Your throne, O God is forever
and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.  You have
loved righteousness;  therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of
gladness more than Your companions.”  (Hebrews 1:8,9)
2-1: Love and righteousness along with justice is what you want to remember
about God and Jesus as we come to the second part of Psalm 37, starting with
verse 23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights
in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD
upholds him with His hand.” {Psalm 37:23-40}
1.  Is “good man” in Psalm 37 enough to make it the title of the second half?
a.  Well, in the first half, while the “good man” per say in those words is not
mentioned, it is the same as in the words of “the righteous man”; so that in the
in the second half if you read carefully 3;23-25, you will note that the good man
is the same in the sight of God as the righteous man.
b.  In the second half “good man” is mentioned only once; however as noted
above is made synonymous with righteousness and the righteous man and
mentioned often.
NOTE:  In Romans 3:10-13 where there is not one single human being on the
face of the earth that is good or righteous, that is before the righteousness of
God, declared and given internally, through faith.  By nature and by continuing
human spirit, called in the Bible “the flesh”, man sins to the extent of no absolute
goodness like God.  Yet with the right attitude and faith in God, God will look at
Him as a good man instead of a wicked man.
(1).  “the righteous are not forsaken”  (37:25)
(2).  “the righteous inherit the {forever} land”  (37:29), of the forever
    kingdom.
(3).  his “mouth speaks wisdom.and talks of justice”  (37:30)
(4).  “the law of God is in his heart”  (37:31)
NOTE:  This is where the internal righteousness comes in.  Please see
“Righteousness of God and Man” as one of the top 12 topics of the Bible on the
SunGrist_Bible web site of www.biblecombibleman.com .
(5).  “none of his steps shall slide” to the extent of slipping right down into
eternal damnation and hell  (37:31).
2.  Even as the first part of this Psalm started in verse 1-3 with admonitions not
to fret about what “evildoers” are doing , and not to in turn also envy or covet
the “workers of iniquity”,  because at the end of time they will be cut down to
size, and their life is very short; even so the second half begins with the
blessings more of a “good man”:  (1) his steps are ordered by the LORD; (2)
the God of righteousness and justice “delights in His” lifestyle; (3) constant
stabilization from the LORD and by His large hand as he stumbles without being
utterly cast down; (4) such righteous, good men are not forsaken by the LORD,
and (5) His descendants do not beg for bread, with the implication of both they
are hard workers but also they receive the mercy and grace of God for enough
to live on.
3.  This all is what God thinks of the good or righteous man and the way he will
indeed live; but what is going to happen between the righteous men and the
majority of wicked men.  This continues in verse 32 with the fretting about then
and coveting after them started in verse 1. {isn’t it strange that it is the wicked
that have always had so much that they easily encourage coveting after, while
the righteous have less}.
“The wicked watches {like a hawk} the righteous and seeks to slay him.”  (37:32)
2-2:  Worthy of special note are the 3 characteristics of the good man or
righteous man of 37:26:  (1) He is every merciful; (2) He lends; and (3)  His
descendants are blessed.
While this mercy {better known as unmerited and unearned favor} and lending
focus on his descendants, others are not to be considered as outside the
province of life habits of a good man.  You would have to consider this verse in
the Old Testament, the equivalent of the “cup of water” in the Name of Christ in
the New Testament.  It is so hard for us to understand and do as a habit of life,
but Jesus was serious as He taught, “And whoever gives one of these little ones
only a cup of water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by
no means lose his reward.”  (Matthew 1):42)
This is where you can separate those of the world practicing good PR, and
seemingly good for a reward, from the good.  You can note the wicked of the
world as they will not lend without usury {this is making interest, a sign of the
wicked of the world}, and unless they think somebody is worthy of their help
they give nothing.  Hard standards from God; yes, in a way.
2-3:  What is the outcome of this battle between the majority wicked and the
minority righteous?
“The LORD will not leave him {the righteous as identified previously in the verse
before, 37:32} in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.”  (Psalm 37:33)
2-4:  With this assurance of being in the hand of God and of the help of God,
therefore (1) WAIT ON THE LORD and (2) don’t let His way and ways slip out
of your life; and wait for the forever, eternal land!  (Psalm 37:34-40).
they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with
wings as eagles.  they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not
faint.
2-5.  A Bible-based Christian Philosophy of Life and Living based on the “Pride
of Life” of I John 2:15-17, and the right kind of “Love of life” of I Peter 3:10-12.  
The Christian life is complex and a challenge between pride and the right love of
life:  (1)  I John 2:15-17; (2) I Peter 3:10-12; and (3) the death to “self” of Jesus
and Paul.
Granted that it is not easy for any preacher, even the pastor of the FBC of
Dallas, to identify the difference between the righteous and the wicked in terms
of who is a Christian or not.  In last weeks radio program, he rightly stated that
statistically there are no differences between the church member or otherwise,
between the Christian or otherwise; then enumerating some of the stats where
they are the same like on divorce, addiction, etc are not different.  To rescue
us, we must turn to the New Testament as always for the complete answer;
after all why have 66 books of revelations from God, every word out of the
mouth of God and not use them, and the revelation of God is progressive,
getting complete only in Jesus and the words from and about Jesus in His
efforts for God at salvation.  Of course, if you have been tuned in you know that
there is afoot from SunGrist_Bible on www.biblecombibleman.com an emphasis
and movement on ALL SCRIPTURE!  
Nobody every said it was easy to tell the difference, or that it was easy to even
be a Christian.  The Word says, “all that will lived godly in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution.”  (II Timothy 3:12}  You see, first of all there is the vast
majority of claims to be Christians “in Christ Jesus”; and then those that
distinguish themselves from the ordinary by suffering some differing measures
of persecution, even if it is in the form of being ignored by the majority of
Christians {that is a compliment in these days of the Falling Away, even as
popularity for any preacher is a seriously bad sign}.  Those Bible Baptists that
quote II Timothy 3:12, fail to go all the way on dedication, by distinguishing the
distinction between “IN THE WORLD” and “OF THE WORLD” of the Apostles
Paul and John.  You don’t hear these Bible Baptists at the top any more using
these common words in the Bible to distinguish between “the world” and
Christians; primarily because they and their primary supporters are so much a
part of the status of the world.
At the highest peak of the New Testament, and very possible the last 3 books
of the NT to be written, the little epistles, we have the no-holds barred
distinguish between the world and real Christians that “will live godly in Christ
Jesus”.  You see, in order to get satisfied in our own mind and from the Bible
about what God Himself thinks is the difference between wicked and righteous,
we must get above our own personalized and self-centered concepts of justice,
good, and righteousness.  {Even as “God’s ways are higher than our ways and
God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts”, it is hard to get above our selves
and our society in order to define these differences; that is without the ASPI
version of the Bible.}
1.  Do Not Love the World {I John 2:15-17}
‘Do not love the world or the things in the world.  {The Bible reader, ordinarily
would become very curious about what is “in the world” according to these
words out of the mouth of God, and in most cases seek to eliminate them from
their own lives in their imaginations, and ahead of time; but this is so serious for
any assumed relationship with God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
something like the Apostle John had, that there is the challenge first between
love of God and love of world.}  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father
is not in him.  {Serious enough to really get earnest about what is IN the world
and what is OF the world!}  
“For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.”
NOTES:
1.  Everything “in the world” is “of the world”, and not of the Father.
2.  Lest any Christians or real Christians have any doubt as to specifically what
is “in” and “of” the world that makes the world so non-Christian for godly living in
Christ Jesus, the three specifics of (1).  lust of the flesh, (2) lust of the eyes,
and (3) pride of life.
As serious are first two challenged of non-worldliness of lusts in the Christians
pilgrims warfare between flesh and spirit, the one often neglected and
rationalized as the at-the-top Bible Baptist do in their strains to re-define and
polish success, is the “pride of life.”  What I hear in their contemporary
messages on success is be like me, and I am at the top as are my most ardent
deacons and other wealthy supporters.  Since they struggle with the “Pride of
Life” as most do, let us make some efforts to define what it really is.  Surely you
would have to admit that it comes closest to what is meant when family and
admirers say either: (1) “we are proud of you”; and/or (2) “you are making
something out of yourself”, or you “make something out of yourself”--sort of like
“be somebody”.  These, though common traditions and customs among church
members and others--and we note that the Bible Baptists at the top generally
like to sound like they are countermanding bad customs and traditions while they
are really helping to st rent hen the bad ones that are unique to Bible Baptists,
and the world--are worldly concepts, worldly habit, and worldly philosophies.  If
you don’t think so, ask any real southern baptist leader before the Bible baptist
takeover the SBC.
These verses of I John 2:15-17 have the same goal of Psalm 37 in that they
both encourage the good and righteous and discourage the wicked by an
emphasis on the long look of eternal life.
“The world passes away and the lusts thereof, but he that doeth the will of God
abides forever.”  (I John 2:17)
NOTE:  Granted that this world has many temporal pleasures included the pride
of life and the fulfillment of the other lusts; and even as Christians it is still as
Pastor James wrote for the first Christians of the first century, “The spirit within
us lusteth to envy, or covet”  (James execs); and with the obvious contrast and
challenge above in I John 2:17 of a habit of constant seeking and knowing “the
will of God” over the lusts of the world that almost as constantly raises up its
ugly head since even with the birth of the inward spirit of the Holy Spirit, there is
still present always that ugly lusts of the flesh that continues to envy or covet.  
We just do not get rid of this ugly until Christ comes again, and we “shall be like
Him for we shall see Him as He is”; however the extent to which we habitual
triumph with the will of God over these lusts, including Pride, is a good measure
of how successful we are in our practical Philosophy of life and living.
Surely these top Bible Baptists of the SBC should include I John 2:15-17 in (1)
their efforts at the ALL SCRIPTURE approach and (2) in any definition of
wellness, the best God wants for your life, and success, in order to avoid any
confusion with the world, in the world, and of the world.  Any philosophy of life
like Elton Truebood, C.C. Lewis, or Wayne Oates would advice would have to
include the big difference between world concepts and philosophies and those
of the godly in Christ Jesus.
2.  You will be glad to know that a killing of the Pride of Life in your own life
does that eliminate the “love of life” and the seeing of “good {and long} days” of
I Peter 3:10-12.
NOTE:  As we momentarily just before the conclusion with a teaching of Christ
about a philosophy of life, cast our mental tents on these 3 verses of I Peter 3:
10-12, first of all from I Peter we note that these words are a direct quote from
Psalm 34:12-16, so that the Apostle Peter in speaking on the “love of life” and
“good days”--high in quality and even longer in the potential for many, many,
many good days on the other side of eternity.  The same “forever” of Psalm 37.  
So with a quote from Psalm 34, we are right back to Psalms where we started,
and very close to Psalm 37. One might even call Psalm 37 an application or
implication of Psalm 34.
a.  Blessed Inheritance of the Meek.
The inherited blessing of a good life and long days that is a challenge in front of
any Christian.  From the bottom line of I Peter 2:9 that Peter states in order to
lead into the quote of Psalm 34:12-16, for Peter know that the quote to follow
about the long life and good days is the same as the promided “inherit a
blessing” of Psalms, of Jesus, and of the beautitudes of Matthew 5.  We only
have time to list the challenge to any Christian as to what they must do in order
to receive this blessing of the meek.  The Apostle Peter interprets “blessings of
the meek” properly in the first words of the quote from Psalms, “He who would
love life and see good days”  {I Peter 2:10 and Psalm 34:12)
(NOTE:  From a quote of Psalm 34:12-16, but one with foundation all the way
back to the first part of Pslam 37, 37:11 where we are notified that it is the
“meek” that are going to inherit the earth and know that to be the new earth; for
there is no way today or in history that you have seen the meek inheriting the
earth.  It is also repeated in the beautitude of Matthew 5 which are just the
opposite of the way the world thinks.  Everybody know that “it the agressive and
competive that are going to win or inherit this old earth”, especially in business
where they are driven by greed, the gospel of wealth, and the corollary of
success.
b.  What has to be done to inherit the blessing of the meek, the same blessing
of loving life and seeing good long days?  This is the righteous meek rather than
the competitive, self-centered, and agressive wicked of Psalm 37, and
elsewhere in the Bible.  The list is long and we only now have time to enumerate
them, but will be followed up in the June newsletter of “The Christian Philosophy
of Life”.
(1).  Control his tongue from speaking evil or deceit;
   (2).  Turn away from evil and do good;
   (3).  Seek peace, and seek it doubly, running after it.
NOTE:  And the last words of that quote reminds us that the whole subject of
Psalm 34 and 37 is to distinguish between the way God treats these righteous
meek and the way he treats the aggressive wicked.  “For the eyes of the LORD
are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the
LORD is against those who do evil.”  (I Peter 3:12 and Psalm 34:16)
c.  You see the introduction of Peter to the quote from Psalm 34, that of I Peter
3:8,9 is also about how to inherit the blessings of the meek on earth and on the
new earth.
“Finally all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as
brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous, not returning evil for evil or reviling for
reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that
you may inherit a blessing.”  (I Peter 3:8,9)
3.  Die to self in order to really live as God meant you to live and a long, long ,
long time--quantity with quality.  Yes, this sounds like a paradox in seeking a
Christian philosophy of life, a paradox between the forbidden “Pride of life” and
the recommended “love of life”; but a paradox is the very essential nature of the
Christian life, that we “DIE TO SELF, IN ORDER TO LIVE CHRIST.”
a.  From Jesus:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and
dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it produces much grain.  He who loves his
life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world, will keep it for eternal life.  
If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me, and where I am, there My servant will
be also.  If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”  (John 12:24-26)  
b.  From the Apostle Paul:
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the deeds of the body, you will live.”  (Romans 8:13)
                     
May Newsletter:  Psalm 37 Part II with Introduction
to a Christian Philosophy of Life and Living
This Great Chapter of the Bible-_download in PDF.