When the World Is Loud, God Is Clear

Weekday Posts
Written By Dean Collins

By Dean Collins

Open your social media feed or look at today’s news and you will find lots of opinions about who is right and who is wrong on nearly everything. There are opinions on every topic and issue imaginable. There are experts and “want to be” experts who argue about everything from why their diet is right and yours is wrong all the way to how to have world peace. Their varying opinions also include whose political party is right and whose is wrong. Pick a topic and you can find opposing opinions on anything you care about and many things you have never thought of.

It might be tolerable to see these varied opinions every now and again, but in recent months and years, the discussion has escalated from simply providing information, to who is right or wrong, and now to whose views are wicked or evil and whose are righteous. It has become personal. Many now see an individual with a different view as evil. Maybe it’s just semantics, but I fear not. The way we treat each other has gotten worse over time. 

There are mental health implications that come from the intensity of these adamant declarations about who’s right and who’s wrong. These discussions are bringing damage to friendships, to family dynamics, and dividing the church. And many mental health professionals are seeing increasing cases of anxiety in both the young and the old.

If you are feeling this anxiety and wondering where God is in all of the current turmoil we see around us, then Psalm 37 will bring some clarity and comfort as David reminds us of what we don’t need to worry about because God sees, hears, and knows our situation and will bring comfort now and justice in the end.

In these verses, we learn that no matter what is going on, we need not worry or fret. We also see that God has a plan for those who do evil and for those who are righteous. You may be confused about who’s who in this battle, but the Lord is not confused.

As you read and pray over this passage, note God’s words to you as you seek to do his will. Note also what David says happens to those who are evil. The Lord is present and active. We do not need to fear. Take a moment to pray and then read the promises of God’s word from this psalm.

Father, we acknowledge you as Lord of all. Thank you for your promises to deal with evildoers and those who selfishly seek gain at the harm of others. Thank you for your strong and assuring words that we do not have to worry or fret because you hold us and the future in your mighty hands. Deliver us from evil that comes from the enemy and through those who are deceived. Today we choose to put our trust in you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

  • Psalm 37:10- In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

  • Psalm 37:12- The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,

  • Psalm 37:13- but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

  • Psalm 37:14- The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;

  • Psalm 37:16- Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.

  • Psalm 37:17- For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

  • Psalm 37:20- But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

  • Psalm 37:21- The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;

  • Psalm 37:25- I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.

  • Psalm 37:28- For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

  • Psalm 37:29- The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.

  • Psalm 37:30- The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

  • Psalm 37:32- The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.

  • Psalm 37:34- Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

  • Psalm 37:35- I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.

  • Psalm 37:38- But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

  • Psalm 37:39- The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

  • Psalm 37:40- The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 37:1-40 ESV

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Dean Collins

Pastor, campus minister, counselor, corporate employee, Fortune 500 consultant, college president—Dean brings a wide range of experiences and perspectives to his daily walk with God’s Word. 

In 1979 he founded Auburn Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational campus ministry that still thrives today. In 1989 he founded and became executive director for New Directions Counseling Center, a service that grew to include several locations and counselors. In 1996 he became vice president of human resources for the CheckFree Corporation (3,000 employees) till founding DC Consulting in 1999. He continues part-time service with that company, offering executive leadership coaching, organizational effectiveness advice, and help with optimizing business relationships.

His latest pursuit, president of Point University since 2006 (interim president 2006-2009), has seen the college grow in enrollment, curriculum, physical campus, and athletic offerings. He led the school’s 2012 name change and relocation from Atlanta Christian College, East Point, Georgia, to Point University in West Point, Georgia. Meanwhile, he serves as board member or active volunteer with several nonprofits addressing issues ranging from global immunization to local government and education. 

He lives in Lanett, Alabama, with his wife, Penny. He has four children (two married) and five grandchildren. He plays the guitar, likes to cook, and enjoys getting outdoors, often on a nearby golf course. 

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When the Heart Speaks