Connect Psalm 37:20 with Proverbs 10:25 on the wicked's temporary success. The big picture: fleeting success versus lasting security - Scripture never overlooks the real-time wins the ungodly sometimes enjoy (Psalm 73:3; Jeremiah 12:1). - Yet Psalm 37:20 and Proverbs 10:25 pull back the curtain to show how brief that victory really is. Psalm 37:20 — the disappearing act “ But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the fields. They will vanish—like smoke they will vanish.” • “Glory of the fields” pictures fresh spring grass that seems lush yet dries up in a day (cf. Isaiah 40:6-8). • “Smoke” rises impressively, then thins out until nothing is left. • The verse places the end of the wicked in God’s hands—He Himself ensures their fade-out. Proverbs 10:25 — the stress test “ When the whirlwind passes, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever.” • “Whirlwind” = a sudden, violent storm (Job 27:20-21). • The wicked look solid—until life’s storm hits. Then their foundation is exposed as sand. • By contrast, the righteous remain “secure forever,” echoing Jesus’ house-on-the-rock image (Matthew 7:24-27). Shared theme: success that can’t survive pressure 1. Temporary shine - Grass (Psalm 37) and a whirlwind’s calm eye (Proverbs 10) both appear peaceful for a moment. - Other echoes: chaff blown away (Psalm 1:4), a dream that ends on waking (Psalm 73:20). 2. Sudden reversal - Psalm 37: “will vanish”—twice for emphasis. - Proverbs 10: “are no more” the instant the whirlwind moves on. 3. God-initiated outcome - “Enemies of the LORD” (Psalm 37) means divine opposition guarantees their end. - The whirlwind image in Proverbs often represents the LORD’s judgment (Isaiah 66:15). Why the righteous can stay calm • God’s character: He loves justice (Psalm 37:28) and cannot lie (Numbers 23:19). • God’s promises: “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever” (Psalm 37:29). • God’s track record: Pharaoh (Exodus 14), Haman (Esther 7), and Herod (Acts 12:23) each enjoyed a brief high before a swift fall. Putting truth into practice - Evaluate every “win” by its shelf life; if it can’t survive eternity, it isn’t worth envy (Psalm 37:1). - Anchor identity and security to what God guarantees, not to circumstances (Hebrews 6:19). - Respond to the wicked’s apparent success with patience, knowing the story isn’t over (James 5:7-8). |
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