The Steps of a Good Man

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-19-2025

Psalm 37:23–26

Introduction:

 

A.  Psalm 37 is one of David’s wisdom psalms and is instructional in nature.  It presents a profound contrast between the righteous and the wicked, between those who trust God and those who envy evildoers.

 

B.  Verses 1-8 show a progression of trust and acceptance of God’s will and way that bring about resting in the Lord. 

 

1.  God begins this psalm with an admonition, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.” 

 

2.  We often see the wicked, seemingly blessed, while we suffer hardship.  There is an old saying, “Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to evil people, but neither stays that way.”

 

C.  We find that God governs the affairs of men, and that the prosperity of the wicked is short-lived, while the righteous are preserved and guided by the Lord.

 

D.  Verses 9-22 show a stark contrast between the final outcome of the righteous and the wicked.  The righteous will be rewarded and prosper, while the wicked will not.  It pays both temporally and eternally to trust, rest, and walk with God!

 

E.  Our text shows us four things that are a reality of the life of the righteous that we will explore for a few minutes.

 

1.  Verse 23.  The Steps of the Good Man.  “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”

 

a. The Person – “A good man”

 

1)  This “good man” is not good in himself, for “there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

 

Romans 3:12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

2)  Rather, this refers to a righteous man, one who trusts in the Lord as described in verse 3: “Trust in the LORD, and do good…”

 

3)  A good man is one made righteous by faith, walking in obedience and fellowship with God.

 

b. The Path – “Ordered by the LORD”

 

1)  The word “ordered” means established, directed, or arranged. 

 

2)  A path controlled by God.  The righteous man’s path is not random, nor guided by chance or fate. A wise and loving Lord divinely arranges every step.

 

Isaiah 58:11  And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

 

Proverbs 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

3)  Even the smallest details—where he walks, whom he meets, what he endures—are under God’s control.

 

c. The Pleasure – “He delighteth in his way”

 

1)  The “he” here may refer to both the Lord and the good man.  God delights in our way and the good man delights in God’s way.

 

Psalms 37:28  For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

 

Psalms 37:4  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

 

2)  There is mutual delight—the believer walking in step with his God, and the Lord rejoicing in His faithful servant.

 

2.  Verse 24.  The Fall and the Upholding of the Good Man. “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.”

 

a.  The Possibility of Falling.  The righteous man can fall, but not utterly.

 

1)  He may stumble through temptation, trial, or weakness—David himself knew that.

 

2)  Yet God’s child never falls out of grace, only within it.

 

Proverbs 24:16  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

 

b. The Preservation by God’s Hand.

 

1)  The phrase “the LORD upholdeth him with His hand” shows divine intervention and gracious preservation.

 

2)  Even when we fall, His hand is underneath us:

 

Deuteronomy 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

 

3)  God’s hand keeps His child from ruin, restores him from his fall, and sustains him in his walk.

 

3.  Verse 25.  The Testimony of the Good Man.  “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

 

a. David’s Life-long Observation. 

 

1)  David had lived a full life—shepherd, soldier, king, and psalmist—and he gives a personal testimony of God’s faithfulness.

 

2)  He had seen many things, but one thing he had never seen—a righteous man truly abandoned by God.

 

b. The Faithfulness of God.

 

1)  God never forsakes His own.

 

Psalms 37:28  For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

 

2)  Even in times of famine, the Lord provides.  Elijah was fed by ravens; Israel by manna; the widow of Zarephath by a barrel that never emptied.

 

c.  The Heritage of the Righteous

 

1)  David adds, “nor his seed begging bread.”  The blessing of righteousness extends beyond the individual—it reaches his children.

 

2)  God’s promise is generational:

 

Proverbs 11:21  Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

 

4.  Verse 26.  The Character of the Good Man.

 

a.  His Compassionate Spirit.

 

1)  The righteous man, being upheld and supplied by God, becomes merciful and generous toward others.

 

Psalms 41:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

 

2)  His mercy is not occasional, but constant—“ever merciful.” His generosity reflects the mercy he has received.

 

b. His Continual Blessing.

 

1)  Because of his faithfulness and kindness, “his seed is blessed.”

2)  The children of the righteous often enjoy the overflowing benefits of their parents’ faith and integrity.

3)  God delights to honor a godly lineage.

 

Conclusion: 

 

Psalm 37, as a whole, contrasts the fleeting prosperity of the wicked with the sure preservation of the righteous.

Verses 23–26 give a personal, tender look into the life of a believer under God’s care:

 

1.  His steps are ordered.

 

2.  His falls are cushioned.

 

3.  His needs are supplied.

 

4.  His seed is blessed.

 

The Good Man takes comfort:  Though the wicked may prosper for a season, the righteous are under divine direction, divine correction, divine provision, and divine preservation.