Title: Testimony of David

Scripture Reading: Psalms 37:25
“I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.”

Main idea: Those who trust in the Lord will triumph in the end.

David’s Testimony
David was an old man when he wrote this—he had never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread. God will see you through—and even your children will be blessed. David could testify that he had never seen the Lord forsake the righteous nor had he observed any of their children unable to get food. God promised the Israelites that He would bless the descendants of those who obeyed Him (Deut. 7:9). His point was that God takes care of the righteous.

Resting in God’s promise
It appears that the wicked are prospering now. But after a little while, in accordance with God’s timing and His plan, they will disappear from the earth and be no more (Psalms 37:10). In a world where Satan works (Ephesians 2:2), the wicked often oppress and persecute the  righteous. But this will not always be the case. In Christ’s kingdom, we will judge the world and rule the earth with Him (1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 20:6). The righteous may not always have much now, but they always have enough—both for themselves and to share with others (Psalms 37:26). Jesus taught us, we should not focus on the things of this life but on God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:25-33). When we follow the steps He orders for our lives, He will see to our needs. David was advanced in age, looking back on his life that had experienced the faithfulness of God. I was young and now I am old, he said, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken. Thus, they have plenty to lend freely and overflows to their children who are never begging bread. President Woodrow Wilson once said, “I had rather temporarily fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than temporarily succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail.” When assessing any situation, a person should always take the long look. What is most important is not that a cause begins well but that it ends well.

Application
There is an old hymn written by R. Kelso Carter that says,

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring;
“Glory in the highest,” I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God. (R. Kelso Carter, “Standing on the Promises”)

That is what Psalm 37 says. It calls us to stand on the promise that even though it appears that the righteous suffer, the Lord will reward the faithfulness of his people.

Let’s pray together
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the promises and we resting on those promises. Father I thank you, your promises are not just for me but to my children as well. In Jesus Name Amen.