Fret Not Thysel

Obey God’s Commandment: God commands His people, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity … fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass… Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil” (Ps 37:1, 7, 8). The verb “fret” in Hebrew charah, means burn, be kindled (always spoken of anger), to be angry; to be earnest. In Hithpael, it means to fret oneself, to be angry (Ps 37:1, 7, 8; Prov 24:19) (Gesenius). Then, no matter how prosperous, successful and wealthy the wicked are, you and I ought to obey God’s commandment and stop fretting ourselves or getting angry with them or envious of their prosperity.

Come to God and His Word to Understand the End of the Ungodly: The Psalmist found the answer when he came to God and His Word, and you and I should do the same, “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end” (Ps 73:17). God is holy, just and righteous, and the wicked sooner or later will be surely judged, “For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb… For evildoers shall be cut off… But the wicked shall perish… the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off” (Ps 37:2, 9, 20, 38). It should be noted that the wicked are not only those who have committed serious crimes but also those who have failed to live and do God’s will. The Lord Jesus Christ confirms, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt 7:21-23). Then, you and I should not fret ourselves when seeing those so-called “Christians” who compromise and do their own will and way but are prosperous. They will be rejected when the Lord Jesus comes.

Turn Our Eyes to the Lord Jesus: The Lord Jesus lived a perfect, holy, godly, righteous and good life on earth, kept God’s Word and law to the jot and tittle, served His Father faithfully, preached God’s Word to the people, performed miracles to help the sick and the afflicted, and obeyed His Father’s will unto death, but He suffered the contempt, rejection, blasphemy, hatred, opposition and persecutions from the wicked. Let us look unto the Lord Jesus, lest we be discouraged or heart-fainted, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Heb 12:2-3). When you and I try to live a godly life as God’s children of light, we should not be surprised when we are despised, hated or persecuted by the world, “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (John 3:20).