1/14 Psalm 37

PSALM 37

AUTHOR: Probably Solomon

Some will dispute this, but there appears to be so much like Solomon in verses 10, 12, 13, 18, 23, 25, 37 and 38. Read these verses carefully and see if there is not a proverb flavor in them.

The Story Behind the Psalm

As was the case in Psalm 1, no doubt the author, probably Solomon, is teaching his son, probably Rehoboam, some things about life, righteousness, sin and God's will and plan. As the Psalm is read, it is not difficult to picture a wise father talking to his son instructing him about life. We have one boy. He is now grown and a preacher, Dr. David Hyles. When he was growing up, I taught him every night that I was home. I taught him about life, about manners, about girls, about athletics, about honesty, about integrity, about decency, about propriety. Hundreds and hundreds of hours, yea, even thousands of hours were spent teaching and teaching and teaching. As the 37th Psalm is read, one should keep a mental image of a father and his son together in a time of instruction.

The Way It Was Used by God's People

This Psalm was used for family instruction. Notice especially the amazing instruction given in verses 3-8. These are among the classic verses of the Bible.

When David was a little boy, he started riding to church with me. We would go early in the morning and come home late at night. The rest of the family would go later and come back earlier, but David always wanted to be with Dad, and it mattered not how long I counseled after the service, Dave would wait for me. When he first started riding to church with me, he could barely talk plainly. One morning coming home from Sunday school and church I asked him what the Sunday school lesson was about. He looked through his big brown eyes and said, "It was about God."

I then asked, "What did you learn about God?" whereupon he replied, "I learned that God loves me more than anyone else loves me, but that when I do wrong God spanks me, and, boy, does He spank! But after God spanks me, He then hugs me and tells me that it hurt. . . Him. . . worse than it. . . hurt. . . me.. . . Hey, Dad, . . . are you God?"

I looked at him through tears and said, "No, son, I'm not God, but I'm glad that you think I am, and I hope that after you've left our home, when you are grown, you will still think the old man is a little bit like God." From that moment on, I resolved to teach Dave about life. This I did and this every father should do. It is the heritage deserved by every son.