Day 17 — Trust While You Wait

Day 17 · Faith and God’s Promises · Psalm 37:1-11 (NET2)

The prosperity of wrongdoing can stir envy and anger. This psalm invites us instead to trust the Lord, do good, and wait for him. Delighting in God is not a technique for obtaining everything we want. As we learn to love him, we entrust our desires and future to his wise rule.

Request

Father, quiet my envy and anger. By your Spirit, teach me to delight in you and continue doing good while I wait. Amen.

Read

Psalm 37:1-11

¹ Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed.
Do not envy evildoers.
² For they will quickly dry up like grass,
and wither away like plants.
³ Trust in the Lord and do what is right.
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity.

⁴ Then you will take delight in the Lord,
and he will answer your prayers.
⁵ Commit your future to the Lord.
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.
⁶ He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause.

⁷ Wait patiently for the Lord!
Wait confidently for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner,
a man who carries out wicked schemes.
⁸ Do not be angry and frustrated.
Do not fret. That only leads to trouble.
⁹ Wicked men will be wiped out,
but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.

¹⁰ Evil men will soon disappear;
you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.
¹¹ But the oppressed will possess the land
and enjoy great prosperity.

Scripture: NET Bible, Second Edition (NET2).

Reflect

1. What responses to evildoers does the psalm warn against, and what responses does it encourage?
2. Where could trusting God free you to do good rather than compete, retaliate, or become bitter?

Restate

Summarize the way of life this psalm encourages when wrongdoing seems to succeed.

Respond

Let the passage guide your prayer. Use these prompts in your own words:

• Praise: Praise God as the just and dependable ruler.
• Thanksgiving: Thank him that another person's success does not determine your hope.
• Confession: Confess envy, bitterness, or plans for retaliation.
• Intercession: Pray for someone facing injustice and for those responsible to repent.
• Petition: Ask for patience and strength to do what is right.

Carry it into today: Turn one moment of comparison into prayer, then choose one quiet act of goodness.