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March 24 Daily Devotional

The Characteristics of the Meek

Peter G. Feenstra

But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Ps. 37:11)

Bible Reading

Psalm 37:1–11

Devotional

The first eleven verses of Psalm 37 lay down six imperatives which allow meekness to grow and develop in us. The first imperative is: do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong. The words, “Do not fret,” literally mean, “Do not get heated.” This is how we express it as well! We will say, “Don’t get all worked up about the successes of others.” “Don’t fret” is a major point because it is stated three times in this psalm.

We may have times that we feel somewhat jealous of the successes of unbelievers. Those who do not know the Lord seem to have it so much easier. But why fret about it? The success and happiness of evil men is superficial, temporary and shallow. Think about it: should we envy something which lasts only a few decades when we possess riches in Christ that last an eternity?

The next three imperatives direct us to the Lord. We are to trust in, delight in and commit our way to Him. The meek submit to God’s will and are totally dependent on Him. Trusting in the Lord, we find Him to be a source of great delight. Delighting in God, we acknowledge that He is preeminent in everything. Other issues and concerns do not play such a major role in our lives that we forget to delight in the Lord. Keeping our eyes off the “prosperity” of the wicked we also commit our ways to the Lord. “Commit your way” is to “roll your way to the LORD.” You take the burden off your shoulders and lay it on the God of covenant mercy and faithfulness.

The fifth imperative for the meek is: “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him.” Those who live outside of God want to have position and possession right now. The meek, however, know that in a little while the wicked shall be no more (10).

The sixth imperative is stated in verse 8, “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath!” The meek do not lash out at God and they are sensitive toward others. Their attitude demonstrates that they have God’s glory and their neighbour’s good at heart. These are the characteristics of the meek. They “will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.” (11)

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