Psalm 37 (Part 09) - Psa 37:16-17 - Better is a Little With Righteousness; God Breaks the Wicked

Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Psalm 37 (Part 9) - Psa 37:16-17 - Better is a Little With Righteousness; God Breaks the Wicked For the outline and the rest of the Bible studies in this series, click here: Psalm 37 To listen to or watch the previous Bible study in the series, click here: Part 8 To listen to or watch the next Bible study in the series, click here: Part 10 16. Psa 37:16 - "A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked." A. There is no shame in being poor as long as you are working hard (Pro 14:23). B. Gain is not godliness (1Ti 6:5; Jam 5:1-6). C. The riches of the wicked will not profit them in the day of wrath (Pro 11:4). D. It's better to have little and be upright, than to have much and be a sinner (Pro 28:6). i. It's better to have only a little with righteousness than great revenues without right (Pro 16:8). ii. It's better to have only a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith (Pro 15:16). iii. It's better to have only a handful with quietness than both hands full with vexation of spirit (Ecc 4:6). iv. Who hath despised the day of small things? (Zec 4:10) E. A righteous man who has little and is content with it (1Ti 6:6-8; Heb 13:5) is far better off than the rich man who has much which only complicates his life (Ecc 5:11-12) and doesn't satisfy him (Ecc 4:8). F. My Grandpa Wagner, a poor old farmer, said, "Money is the short end of life, but everybody needs a little." G. Anther wise man said, "Live small and own it all." H. It's more important to make a difference than a fortune. 17. Psa 37:17 - "For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous." A. The reason above all others that the righteous poor are better off than the wicked rich is because God opposes the wicked and upholds the righteous. B. The LORD will break the wicked (Psa 2:9; 1Sa 2:10; Jer 19:11; Jer 48:38). i. The LORD will break the arms of powerful wicked kings (Eze 30:21-26; Jer 48:25). ii. God will break the bones of the enemies of His people (Num 24:8). iii. The LORD will break the teeth of the wicked (Psa 3:7; Psa 58:6). iv. God will tear those in pieces who forget Him (Psa 50:22). v. The LORD will break the yoke of wicked kings with which they have oppressed His people (Lev 26:13; Jer 28:2,4,11; Jer 30:8; Eze 34:27). vi. God will break the bow of the wicked (Jer 49:35; Jer 51:56). vii. The LORD will break the staff of the wicked (Isa 14:5). viii. The LORD will break down the cities of the wicked (Jer 4:26; Jer 51:58; Lam 2:8-9). ix. The LORD breaks the wicked by setting traps for them in His word (Isa 28:13). C. The LORD will uphold the righteous. i. God will uphold the righteous with His right hand (Isa 41:10; Psa 63:8). ii. God upheld Jesus Christ the righteous (Isa 42:1 c/w 1Jo 2:1). iii. The LORD will uphold us so that our enemies will not triumph against us (Psa 41:11-12; Isa 54:17). iv. When we have fallen, we should ask God to uphold us (Psa 51:12). v. God will not let us be utterly cast down (Psa 37:24; Psa 145:14; Pro 24:16). vi. Jesus Christ upholds all things by the word of His power, so it is a small thing for Him to uphold us (Heb 1:3). vii. God has promised in His word to uphold us, so we should pray and remind Him of it (Psa 119:116).