A Prayer to Not Fret in Confusing Times
Written and read by Lia Girard
Bible Reading:
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger, and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
— Psalm 37:7-8
Written by a very imperfect yet faithful and contrite King David, likely near the end of his life, Psalm 37 sounds to me like wisdom born of surviving a life of turmoil. A life of struggling to make sense of chaotic times during which God has proven his power in spades.
The Psalm was written as an alphabetic acrostic, meaning each stanza in the original Hebrew began with a letter of the alphabet. The purpose of this arrangement was to make the wisdom it contains teachable and memorable for generations. God desires us to keep his commands and store his word in our hearts, so writing psalms (or sacred poems and hymns) was a God-inspired practice. In fact, in Deuteronomy 31, God instructs Moses to write his words in a song so they will not be forgotten, even by future generations. And while our modern biblical translation of Psalm 37 may not exactly rhyme or follow a tune, it’s still a well-organized lesson. Its pattern of stanzas and similar sentence structure keep it engaging and fluid.
This psalm of intentional instruction reminds me of how a seasoned grandfather would advise grandchildren who might be in a tizzy, complaining about the apparent success of evil people, or fretting deeply over the wrongdoings in the world. What King David wants here is to relieve us of worry that can steal our peace, protect us from the dangers of anger, and encourage us to lean on our faith in God. The psalmist, a man of questionable character, who repeatedly repented and strengthened his dependence on God, has been around the block and seen some evil. And he learned the hard way not to compare his own station with that of others who succeed by unethical means. He learned that God comes through amidst the mess in marvelous ways.
This psalm of David, while acknowledging that wicked people plot, also promises that God will destroy wickedness. It implores us to trust in the Lord, to commit our way to the Lord, and to avoid becoming incensed or outraged by what we see. We are to hope in the Lord because, as we read in verses 37 and 38, a future awaits those who seek peace. And there will be no future for the wicked.
Although this psalm does say to “be still before the Lord” and “wait patiently for him,” we can still reach out to others in need. We can still offer love and compassion in the midst of wrongdoings. But whatever good we choose, we’re called to keep the faith, while focusing on our own spiritual integrity. It affirms that there will be divine justice in God’s perfect timing. And that wrath is not ours to wield.
Please know that God sees the atrocities in this world. He sees the wicked apparently succeeding in their ways. But Psalm 37 explains that the swords the wicked use to bring down the poor and needy will pierce their own hearts.
If you refrain from worry, anger, and evil, and strive for blamelessness, Psalm 37 reminds you that your inheritance will endure forever.
Let’s Pray:
God, I know you see our world is in turmoil. It seems every time I look for something lovely or uplifting, I see images of evildoers. I’m trying to focus on the good, but can you please help me? I know there will always be wickedness. I know you didn’t promise heaven here on Earth. But it’s hard to tamp down my feelings of anger when I see mean people in power or being rewarded, it seems, with exorbitant wealth and success.
Help me to stop the fretting in my heart. Remind me that you have this. Equip me, and guide me, to do good in my own circle of influence, and to refrain from worry and anger. Please give me an overflowing measure of the inner peace only you can provide. Help me stay hopeful, joyful, and merciful in these confusing times.
In your mighty name, Amen.
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Lia Girard is a seasoned writer and voice artist who formerly served as the Faith Editor for Crosswalk.com. She is the author of Wisdom at Wit’s End: Abandoning Supermom Myths in Search of Supernatural Peace, and enjoys spending time with her husband and grown children or walking in the woods with God.
Related Resource: Establishing a Routine of Rest
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence — something to be earned, something to feel vaguely ashamed of, something that productive, faithful people did not really need. In a world that measures worth by output, the idea of stopping feels dangerously close to falling behind.
But what if rest is not optional? What if it was never meant to be? Tonight, lay down the hustle. Receive the gift. This is exactly what you were made for. Your Nightly Prayer is a daily Christian prayer podcast from the LifeAudio Podcast Network and Crosswalk.com. Each night, the team behind Crosswalk.com brings you a devotional and prayer to help you end your day in conversation with God. May these nightly prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on the love of God as you end your day. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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