Psalm 37:34-40 AMPC
Wait for and expect the Lord and keep and heed His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; [in the end] when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. I have seen a wicked man in great power and spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil, Yet he passed away, and behold, he was not; yes, I sought and inquired for him, but he could not be found. Mark the blameless man and behold the upright, for there is a happy end for the man of peace. As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together; in the end the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the [consistently] righteous is of the Lord; He is their Refuge and secure Stronghold in the time of trouble. And the Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they trust and take refuge in Him.
In the days of the black & white movie, almost always, there was a happy ending - leaving a contented smile on the face as the credits rolled. The hero got the girl, the baddie got his comeuppance and the sun sank slowly in the west.
In real life, though, the reverse often seems to be true.
We see rich fat cats prospering through lies and deception, while the person of integrity comes to poverty and ruin.
It seems to fly in the face of this Psalm.
But, there is a very important insert in the verses, however. Note the phrase "in the end".
Yes, it's very obvious that there are great injustices going on in life. Even judges making inexplicable pronouncements, businesses floundering through no fault of their own, disease pouncing suddenly, unexpectedly.
Suffering and sorrow are sad facts of life. It can seem far from a happy ending.
Taking the long view is the only way to make sense of life. As believers in Jesus we know how the story ends - it's exactly how this Psalm states.
No matter how sad your life seems now - you have a happy ending awaiting you.
God is a God who loves putting things right, and He will.
1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
It is futile to try to fathom the injustices of this life, but if you are disturbed by them, consider
how much more is God.
A day us coming when all things will be put right.
There is a happy ending for the man of peace. Hold on, believing in Jesus:
"who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
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