Upheld By the Lord: Psalm 37-Supplication through the Scriptures
Upheld By the Lord
Psalm 37
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the Lord
Having eight children over a span of nineteen years means that we have spent many years having a little one in our home. Each baby must learn to scoot, sit up, crawl, and eventually walk. In those early years, our children often hold our hand as we lead them where we are going. Many times, their little foot trips, and had they not been holding our hand, they would have taken a nasty fall. And we know, their tiny grip on our hand is not firm enough to keep them from falling, but rather it is our grip on their hand that keeps them secure. And so it is with our Lord.
In Psalm 37, David tells us twice that it is the Lord who upholds the righteous. Though we may stumble, we will not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds our hand (37:23). Throughout life we will have things that trip us up or cause us to stumble, things that cause us pain and heartache, but our confidence is that God does not deal with us recklessly. He does not bring or allow things into our lives without care and concern for the result. In fact, we can confidently say that He designs all things for our good, that we be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29).
Let’s pray through the middle portion of Psalm 37, resting in confidence that He upholds us with His omnipotent hand and trust the following truth:
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the Lord
The Wicked Plots
37:12-15 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
Lord, I pray:
▫️When the enemy uses various ways and schemes to plot against me to discourage me, tempt me, or cause me to stumble, You would help me take up the shield of faith and extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).
▫️In the day of trouble, I would remember that a day is coming when You will swallow up death for all time and You will wipe tears away from all faces (Isaiah 25:8). What is causing me distress and sorrow at this time through which I need the Lord’s upholding hand to help me?
The Lord Upholds the Righteous
37:16-22 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
Lord, I pray:
▫️I would be content in whatever circumstance You have placed me. I would have “that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition” (Jeremiah Burroughs).
▫️You would be my helper and the sustainer of my soul (Psalm 54:4).
▫️Even in “days of famine,” I would have abundance and be satisfied because You are my portion and nothing can ever separate me from You.
▫️If I am tempted to abandon righteousness and truth, You would bring to my mind that the wicked will perish, they will vanish, and be cut off, but Your people are blessed of You and will obtain the inheritance You have guaranteed us by Your Spirit.
▫️In the midst of hard times, I would still find ways to be generous and give to others. Is there a way I can encourage someone else today through my time, words, or resources?
Established By the Lord
37:23-26 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
Lord, I pray:
▫️You would delight in my way because I follow Your ways and Your precepts, and You would make my steps firm. Am I obediently following the Lord? Where do I need the Lord’s help in firming up my faith and my steps in His ways?
▫️If I should stumble or fall, Your hand would uphold me, supporting and sustaining me. Is there an area of my life in which I am feeling anxious and dismayed?
▫️I would trust Your righteous right hand, confidant that whatever circumstances You have brought to me are working for me a far more eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, and I would look to the things unseen (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
▫️I would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that You will never forsake me.
▫️My children would be drawn to You as I seek to live for You before them, and they would be blessed by You and become a blessing to those around them.
May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
l'Il never, no, never, no, never forsake!
How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the Lord
Psalm 37:12-26 quoted from the ESV.
Photo credit to lastly
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