Four Replacements for Worry

The situation David faced in Psalm 37 sounds dangerous and dire. The wicked are multiplying in the land, planning and scheming against the righteous. In other words, there’s plenty to worry about. David is not fazed by this though because he knows that God will deliver the righteous and judge the wicked. While our situation may not be as severe as David’s, we still need to trust the Lord in the many things that cause us distress. Here are four actions you can take to replace the worry in your life and grow your trust in the Lord.

We adapted the rest of this article from a Catalyst note in the Wiersbe Study Bible (NKJV). This single-volume study Bible contains notes and other features from Dr. Warren Wiersbe’s lifetime of powerful Bible teaching.  

“Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”

Psalms 37:1–2

Like any mature believer who has been through suffering, David took the long view of the situation and evaluated the immediate and the transient in terms of the ultimate and the eternal. He encouraged Solomon and the people to believe God’s promises and wait on Him. In the psalm, he gave four encouraging assurances to believers who question how God is running His world.

Replacements for Worry

David gave one negative instruction—“Do not fret” (vv. 1, 7)—in Psalm 37 that serves as brackets around four positive instructions: Trust in the Lord (v. 3), delight in the Lord (v. 4), commit your way to the Lord (vv. 5, 6), and rest in the Lord (v. 7).

Trust in the Lord

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.”

Psalms 37:3

A fretful heart is not a trusting heart, because it lacks joy and peace (Rom. 15:13). Faith and works go together, so we should also do good as we wait on the Lord (Ps. 34:14; Luke 6:35; Gal. 6:10). Some of God’s people were tempted to leave the land (see Ruth 1:1, 2), which was tantamount to saying that God wasn’t faithful and couldn’t be trusted. But David urged them to stay in the land and trust God for what they needed (Ps. 37:27).

Delight in the Lord

“Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalms 37:4

The word translated “delight” comes from a root that means “to be brought up in luxury, to be pampered.” It speaks of the abundance of the blessings we have in the Lord Himself, totally apart from what He gives us. To enjoy the blessings and ignore the Blesser is to practice idolatry. In Jesus Christ, we have all God’s treasures, and we need no other.

Commit Your Way to the Lord

“Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”

Psalms 37:5-6

The verb “commit” means “to throw your burden” (1 Pet. 5:7). God doesn’t take our burdens so that we can become irresponsible, but so we can serve Him better. Sometimes less care means we become careless, and that leads to failure. One of the things God will bring to pass is the vindication of His servants who have been slandered by God’s enemies (Ps. 37:6, 28, 32, 33).

Rest in the Lord

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.”

Psalms 37:7

The verb describes a calm surrender to the Lord (62:5). Creative silence is a rare commodity today, even in church worship services. People cannot tolerate silence. A silent radio or TV screen invites listeners and viewers to switch to another station or channel. But unless we learn to wait silently before God, we will never experience His peace.

Learn More from the Wiersbe Study Bible (NKJV)

Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe has helped millions encountering the life-changing power of God’s Word. The Wiersbe Study Bible (NKJV) extends his reach even further and provides trustworthy and accessible explanations of the Bible’s truths and promises. Pick up a copy today and start putting this tool to use in the Olive Tree app!