Psalm 37 (Part 20) - Psa 37:33-36 - The LORD Will Not Leave Us in the Wicked's Hand

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33. Psa 37:33 - "The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged." A. God will not leave the righteous in the hand of the wicked. i. Jesus Christ is the prime example of this. a. God delivered Jesus from the hands of the wicked when they attempted to take Him in their hands (Luk 4:29-30; Joh 8:59; Joh 10:31, 39). b. Once the devil thought that he finally had Jesus for good, God raised Him from the dead and delivered Him out his hand (Act 13:27-30; Act 2:23-24; Rom 6:9). ii. Paul is a good example of this. a. God delivered Paul out of the hand of the wicked many times (Act 9:23-25; Act 14:4-6; Act 14:19-20; Act 16:19-24, 35-39; Act 18:12-16; Act 20:3; Act 21:27-35; Act 22:22-30; Act 23:10; Act 23:12-24; 2Ti 3:11). b. Paul trusted in God that He would not leave him in their hands, but would deliver him as He had in the past (2Co 1:8-10; 2Ti 4:16-18). iii. Peter was an example of this. a. God delivered Peter out of the hand of the wicked many times (Act 4:1-3, 13-21; Act 5:17-20; Act 5:25-42; Act 12:1-11). b. Peter learned that when he suffered at the hands of men to commit the keeping of his soul to his faithful Creator (1Pe 4:19). iv. As it was with Jesus, Paul, and Peter, God will deliver us from the hand of the wicked when He chooses to. a. As it was with them, God will also sometimes allow us to be taken by wicked men and even killed by them. b. But even then, God will not leave us in their hand, but will deliver us from them and take us to heaven to be with Him (Act 2:36; 2Ti 4:6-8; 2Pe 1:14 c/w Joh 21:18-19). B. God will not condemn the righteous when he is judged by the wicked, but will instead take the side of the righteous and condemn the wicked (Psa 37:12-15). 34. Psa 37:34 - "Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it." A. Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land (see notes on Psa 37:9). B. When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. i. The wicked will be cut off: see notes on Psa 37:9 and Psa 37:28. ii. The righteous will see their fall (Pro 29:16; Isa 66:24). 35. Psa 37:35 - "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree." A. The wicked get in positions of great power because it is in their nature to keep grabbing more power and control. i. The eyes of man are never satisfied (Pro 27:20; Ecc 1:8). ii. With power comes money, which they can also not get enough of (Ecc 5:10). iii. Just as "the fire that saith not, It is enough" (Pro 30:15-16), so are those in great power. iv. Haman had great power, but could not be satisfied until Mordecai was subject unto him (Est 5:11-13). B. The spread themselves like a green bay tree. i. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the empire of Babylon, was pictured as a tree that spread forth its limbs for all the birds to lodge in (Dan 4:19-22). ii. Babylon was condemned for its insatiable desire to heap up all nations unto itself (Hab 2:5). iii. The armies of the Chaldeans spread themselves as they conquered (Hab 1:8). iv. "Nature is content with little, grace with less, but lust with nothing." (Matthew Henry) 36. Psa 37:36 - "Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found." A. Despite the fact that the wicked attain great power and expand their control, they still die. B. At that time, people will look for them and not find them (see notes on Psa 37:10). i. This is what happened to Nebuchadnezzar who was as a great tree spreading himself before God cut him down (Dan 4:22-25). ii. Consider wicked Jezebel who was in great power and yet was cut down and could not be found because the dogs ate her (2Ki 9:30-37). iii. Consider Adolf Hitler who spread himself and was cut down never to be found by those who sought him.