Watch or Listen to My Message from Sunday, February 8
Day 14 — God Knows Your Days
Psalm 37:18–19, The Lord knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
Key Thought: God pays attention to you
Prayer: Teach me to trust You every day, regardless of the circumstances.
“The LORD knows the days of the upright”
God cares for you, is overseeing you, and is not missing any details. We think of days in terms of calendar dates, special events, and conditions. God sees our days over the entire span of life. God sees days as seasons, including seasons of ease and seasons of hardship.
“Their inheritance shall be forever”
The Lord sees seasons because He is a generational God. The Lord was thinking about you when your great-grandparents were in the prime of their lives. Not many of us had the opportunity to know our great-grandparents, but what God put in them was also an inheritance for you. And what God is putting in you will be an inheritance for your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and people with whom you relate over the course of your life.
Sometimes circumstances can make you feel insignificant, but we are all here by God’s design and purpose. That’s why your days are very important – it’s not about a feeling. God knows your days.
Part of our inheritance is not simply material things that are handed down to us from family members. Most of our ancestors did not have the material possessions that we have today. Many had something much greater: They had faith in God, integrity, talents, and the will to overcome and succeed.
The most significant inheritance is the virtues we have from the Lord that we can leave for others. God Himself is our ultimate inheritance.
“And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.”
Famine is extreme scarcity, whether material or spiritual. Amos 8:11 reads, When I will send a famine throughout the land, not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but rather a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
The present famine of “hearing the words of the Lord” leaves a void that material things cannot fulfill. We cannot overemphasize the importance of receiving the Word of God, being a doer of the Word, and recognizing that Jesus is the Word.
Because the inheritance is forever, we always overcome famine—whether material or spiritual—because, as Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Reflection question: What are some specific ways you are aware that God knows your days?
Key insight I gained today:
Today’s action item based on insight:
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Day 13 — How Less Can Be More
Psalm 37:16, A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.
Key Thought: More without God is emptiness.
Prayer: Teach me gratitude and sufficiency.
The word “little” does not equate to poverty. It acknowledges modest or middle-class means. Most people in the world have limited resources, influence, recognition, and limited visible success. But none of these are the factors that define personal righteousness.
What makes the “little” valuable is not the amount, but the person who possesses it and the God who sustains him. A righteous person’s resources are honestly obtained, spiritually supported, and shared with others.
The Hebrew word for “better” means good, beneficial, and advantageous. The “better” that the righteous possess is dedicated to better purposes. Things that are small but blessed surpass what is great but corrupted. The righteous do not need excess to be secure.
Wicked wealth may look impressive, but it lacks divine backing. The righteous may operate in modest conditions, but they are supported by an eternal Kingdom system. Jesus Christ embodied this principle.
Ultimately, we measure our lives by faithfulness and serving others, not by accumulation.
Reflection question: How do you measure "more" and "better?"
Key insight I gained today:
Today’s action item based on insight:
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Day 12 — Evil is Self-Destructive
Psalm 37:12, The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. 13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct. 15 Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.
Key Thought: Violence ultimately destroys its source.
Prayer: Help me maintain my hope in You.
Remember that Psalm 37 is wisdom instruction, not lament. David contrasts the temporary activity of the wicked with the enduring stability of the righteous. These verses intensify that contrast by describing active hostility, and God’s response.
“The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth.”
In our sinful world, we cannot underestimate the depravity of people who are wicked and self-serving. It is our nature to believe the best in people, but there are some, as the Bible highlights, who are wholly committed to taking advantage of others. The wicked engage in deliberate scheming and premeditated evil, not just impulsive wrongdoing. They are strategic, thoughtful, and intentional.
Gnashing teeth in Scripture signifies rage and violent resentment. This is emotional fury combined with calculated malice. Those who possess "upright conduct" are not simply ignored; they are targeted because of the threat they pose to evil schemes. Integrity provokes opposition.
The derogatory images in February of Barack and Michelle Obama illustrate the malice that is present in the hearts and minds of evildoers.
“The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.”
The laughter of the Lord is not amusement but derision. God mocks the intentions of the wicked. He is never anxious about the schemes of evildoers, nor should we be anxious. The coming “day” refers to the appointed time of reckoning. The wicked operate on borrowed time.
“The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct.”
This does not speak of random violence, but targeted injustice. The wicked exploit vulnerability and exercise power with cruelty. Psalm 37 reminds us that injustice is not permanent.
“Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken.”
The instruments of their violence become instruments of self-destruction. We see this principle throughout Scripture: wicked people are self-destructive.~ Haman’s gallows (Esther 7)
~ Daniel’s accusers (Daniel 6)
~ The principle of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7)
~ "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them" (Proverbs 26:27)
The “breaking of the bow” signifies the removal of power and capacity to harm. Evil carries the seeds of its own collapse. It is amazing how Scripture not only exposes human nature but also outlines the consequences of behavior—good or bad.
Even with difficult passages like this, we can take hope that God sees everything. He has given humans free will, so people can choose to do wrong or to do well. Those of us committed to doing well must continue shining our light.
Put another way, Jesus said that we are “the light of the world.” He intends for us to shine our lights in every area of life.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Where sin abounded, grace much more abounded.” (Romans 5:20).
Our hope in God is always greater than the schemes of the wicked.
Reflection question: Why is God not "stressed" about evildoers? What gives you hope?
Key insight I gained today:
Today’s action item based on insight:
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Day 11 — God Sustains the Righteous
Contributor: Stacy Williams
Psalm 37:17 (NIV), “For the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.”
Key Thought: God upholds those who trust Him.
Prayer: Be my strength today.
This verse contrasts the outcome of the wicked with the outcome of the righteous.
“The wicked” are those who are bent on doing evil, at odds with God’s standards, rejecting the fear of the Lord, and actively hostile to the things of God. The word wicked can also carry the idea of self-reliance and pride, which frequently motivate their actions.
The wicked operate outside of the Kingdom of God. They are not sustained or rewarded by Him; rather, any strength they appear to have is ultimately broken. They attempt to operate, maneuver, and manipulate within a fallen system through their own hubris. Their strength is unsustainable.
An analogy would be that of unsupported software. Unsupported software no longer receives assistance or updates from its developer. This eventually results in instability and system failure. Similarly, the wicked operate in a fallen system that leads to brokenness. The wealth of the wicked (Psalm 37:16) and the power associated with it will not last because they are functioning in an unsupported system.
Those who have trusted God for salvation have been made righteous through what He has provided (1 Corinthians 1:30). The righteous have right standing with God and walk in integrity among people. In contrast to the wicked, the righteous lean into God and look to Him for sustaining strength.
The righteous operate in the Kingdom of God which is a system fully supported by God Himself. Their actions are motivated by trust and reliance on His strength and ability. As
Psalm 62:6 declares: “Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.”
The righteous are able to stand firmly on the Rock of their salvation and be supported – upheld– by the Lord.
Reflection question: In what area of your life do you need to rely on the sustaining power of the Lord?
Key insight I gained today:
Today’s action item based on insight:
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