Day 18: Ordered Steps, Part Two | Learning to Trust God More, 21-Day Firm Foundation Devotional from Psalm 37 - February 21
Day 18 — Ordered Steps, Part Two
Psalm 37:23–24, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
Key Thought: God preserves the faithful
Prayer: Thank you for preserving me when I come short
If you have not done so, you would benefit from reading “Ordered Steps,” Part One.
We will focus on verse 24: “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.”
Those who seek to be “good” and live righteously are not above mistakes and missteps. The Hebrew word for “fall” does not imply moral collapse. People actively seeking to serve the Lord and live righteously do not become sinful and wicked. The word “fall” speaks to stumbling, temporary setbacks, and circumstantial failure.
“Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” 1 John 3:9
“He cannot sin” means wrongdoing does not come from his new creation nature in Christ. As faithful Christ followers, our “sins” (“miss the mark”) have more to do with engaging in lesser standards, such as failing to pray, serve, give, etc. Faithfulness to God does not impart perfection or eliminate vulnerability to mistakes or oversights.
Speaking to Christ followers, the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:7–9:
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John wrote to people already walking in the light and living by higher standards. Failing to acknowledge that we all come short at times is saying, “I have no sin” or “I never come short.” Living by higher standards is much different than living without concern for the higher standards of God’s kingdom, where people routinely ignore God's directives to pray, serve, give, etc. Failing in these areas does not put a person at risk of losing their salvation; they simply live in the reality of not pleasing God.
“He shall not be utterly cast down”
Because we are faithful and steadfast toward God, and as much as His grace empowers us to do so, when we come short, we are not “utterly cast down.” This phrase means hurled headlong, destroyed, and ruined beyond recovery.
We may fall, but we are not abandoned to ruin because we do not fall away from God. People who are good and whose steps are ordered by the Lord quickly acknowledge errors and make correction. Getting drunk, lying, or doing something ridiculous are not patterns in our lives.
This is in direct contrast to the wicked cited earlier in Psalm 37, who are “cut off” and whose “arms shall be broken” (vv. 9, 17). The wicked collapse permanently; the righteous always recover.
“For the Lord upholds him with His hand”
The Hebrew word for “upholds” means to grasp, sustain, hold firmly. The beautiful picture is of the Lord holding on to us like a parent holds his child to keep him safe, even when he stumbles.
Christ is fully engaged with His people day by day. This is why we delight in the Lord. He preserves His people; we live in covenant care and experience God’s faithfulness, which is always stronger than human weakness.
John wrote to people already walking in the light and living by higher standards. Failing to acknowledge that we all come short at times is saying, “I have no sin” or “I never come short.” Living by higher standards is much different than living without concern for the higher standards of God’s kingdom, where people routinely ignore God's directives to pray, serve, give, etc. Failing in these areas does not put a person at risk of losing their salvation; they simply live in the reality of not pleasing God.
“He shall not be utterly cast down”
Because we are faithful and steadfast toward God, and as much as His grace empowers us to do so, when we come short, we are not “utterly cast down.” This phrase means hurled headlong, destroyed, and ruined beyond recovery.
We may fall, but we are not abandoned to ruin because we do not fall away from God. People who are good and whose steps are ordered by the Lord quickly acknowledge errors and make correction. Getting drunk, lying, or doing something ridiculous are not patterns in our lives.
This is in direct contrast to the wicked cited earlier in Psalm 37, who are “cut off” and whose “arms shall be broken” (vv. 9, 17). The wicked collapse permanently; the righteous always recover.
“For the Lord upholds him with His hand”
The Hebrew word for “upholds” means to grasp, sustain, hold firmly. The beautiful picture is of the Lord holding on to us like a parent holds his child to keep him safe, even when he stumbles.
Christ is fully engaged with His people day by day. This is why we delight in the Lord. He preserves His people; we live in covenant care and experience God’s faithfulness, which is always stronger than human weakness.
Reflection question: How do the sins of the righteous differ from the sins of the wicked?
Key insight I gained today:
Today’s action item based on insight:
Key insight I gained today:
Today’s action item based on insight:
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