泥巴

In this week’s lessons we see how the wicked and righteous are contrasted, and learn how the mature Christian approaches all of life to the glory of Christ.

經文：詩篇卅七21～40 Scripture: Psalm 37:21-40

在上一章的開頭，我指出詩篇卅七篇是對主耶穌在登山寶訓一開始的八福的一個極佳的闡釋：「溫柔的人有福了！因為他們必承受地土。」（太五5）耶穌在那篇講道裏沒有解釋溫柔是什麼意思，但是詩篇卅七篇作了解釋。

At the beginning of the last chapter I pointed out that Psalm 37 is a good exposition of the third of Jesus’ eight beatitudes, from the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). Jesus does not explain the meaning of meekness in that sermon, but Psalm 37 does.

當然，這不是說「溫柔」這個觀念在新約聖經裏被忽略了。相反，這個觀念在好幾個地方都可以找到，只不過在英文NIV聖經裏，「溫柔」（meekness）這個詞通常被翻譯為「溫和」（gentleness）或「謙卑」（humility）。保羅將溫柔列為聖靈九果之一。「聖靈所結的果子，就是仁愛、喜樂、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信實、溫柔、節制。」（加五22-23）歌羅西書也一樣：「所以，你們既是神的選民，聖潔蒙愛的人，就要存憐憫、恩慈、謙虛、溫柔、忍耐的心。」（西三12）彼得寫到，基督徒要以溫柔的心向他人作見證：「只要心裡尊主基督為聖。有人問你們心中盼望的緣由，就要常作準備，以溫柔、敬畏的心回答各人」（彼前三15）。雅各說道，「所以你們要脫去一切的污穢和盈餘的邪惡，存溫柔的心領受那所栽種的道，就是能救你們靈魂的道。」（雅一21）

This does not mean that the idea of meekness is neglected in the New Testament, of course. On the contrary, it is found in several places, though in the New International Version the word "meekness" is usually translated by the words "gentleness" or "humility." Paul lists meekness as one of the fruits of the Spirit: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness [meekness] and self-control" (Gal. 5:22, 23). Likewise in Colossians: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness [meekness] and patience” (Col. 3:12). Peter writes that Christians are to witness to others in a spirit of meekness: "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness [meekness] and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15). James says, "Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly [meekly] accept the word planted in you" (James 1:21).

這些經文說，溫柔聖靈在我們生命裏的工作，而且是為了帶來祝福，這祝福不只是給我們的，更是給其他人的。然而，這些經文都沒有真的解釋溫柔究竟是什麼，也沒有闡述我們靠哪些步驟可以得到溫柔。整本聖經中，把這點解釋得最好的地方就是在詩篇卅七篇，因為主耶穌的八福的第三福，似乎就是引用詩篇卅七篇第11節：「但謙卑人必承受地土，以豐盛的平安為樂。」（參：太五5）

These verses say that meekness comes into our lives by the work of the Holy Spirit and is intended to bring blessing, not only to us but to others. Still, not one of these texts really explains what meekness is or elaborates the steps by which we may attain it. In all the Bible the place where that is best done is Psalm 37, which is where Jesus found the third beatitude since he seems to quote it from verse 11: “But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace (cf. Matt. 5:5).

在最後一章裏，我也承認要為這首詩篇列出大綱不是易事，這大概是因為這是一首字母詩（離合詩），整篇的思路僅僅是按照字母的結構。因此，我的大綱（或其他任何的大綱）或多或少都是人為的。不過，這首詩篇還是有某種的思路，我用以下五個段落將它強調出來：1) 默然的心靈（1~11節）；2) 惡人的道路（12～20節）；3) 義人與惡人的道路的對比；4) 一位老者對年輕人的忠告（27～33節）；5) 從長遠來看（34～40節）。

In the last chapter I also acknowledged how difficult it is to outline this psalm, probably because it is an acrostic psalm and the flow of thought merely follows the alphabetical structure. My outline (or any other outline) will therefore be somewhat arbitrary. Still, there is some development of thought in the psalm, and I have highlighted it by the following five sections: 1) the quiet spirit (vv. 1-11); 2) the way of the wicked (vv. 12-20); 3) the ways of the righteous and the wicked contrasted (vv. 21-26); 4) an old man's counsel to the young (vv. 27-33); and 5) taking the long view (vv. 34-40).

在上週的研讀中，我們查看了前兩個段落。在這週的研讀裏，我們必須查看最後的三個段落。

We looked at the first two of those sections in last week’s study. We need to look at the last three sections in this one.

這首詩篇的第三部分對比了義人與惡人的道路（21～26節），但是我們在前面的段落，已經開始朝著這個方向發展了。我稱那個段落是「惡人的道路」（12～20節）。那個段落表達了四個對比，說明惡人籌劃一件事，但是上帝卻讓相反的事發生。然而，最後的兩個對比也將義人帶入到這幅圖案裏，說明：1) 惡人的財富會被奪去，他們的權勢會被打破，但是上帝卻要扶持義人（16、17節）；而且， 2) 義人會逃過饑荒的日子，但是惡人卻會滅亡（18～20節）。

The third part of the psalm contrasts the ways of the righteous and the wicked (vv. 21-26), but we had already begun to move in this direction in the preceding section. I called that section "the way of the wicked" (vv. 12-20). It expressed four contrasts showing how the wicked plan one thing but that God causes the opposite to happen. However, the last two of those contrasts also brought the righteous into the picture, showing how 1) the wealth of the wicked will be taken away and their power will be broken, but that God will sustain the righteous (vv. 16, 17); and 2) the righteous will survive days of deprivation, but the wicked will perish (vv. 18-20).

研讀問題：

1. 關於溫柔，聖經是如何教導的？

2. 請從頭讀完詩篇卅七篇，並注意惡人與義人的對比，對那些信靠上帝的人，祂會為他們做些什麼？

Study Questions:

1. What does the Bible teach about meekness?

2. Read through Psalm 37 and note how the wicked and righteous are contrasted, and what the Lord will do for those who trust in him.

不要憂慮：第二部分，第2日。

Not to Worry: Part 2, Day 2

今日主題：基督徒與金錢

Theme: The Christian and Money

在這週的功課中，我們會看到惡人與義人的對比，並且學習成熟的基督徒如何為了基督的榮耀來處理人生的一切。

n this week’s lessons we see how the wicked and righteous are contrasted, and learn how the mature Christian approaches all of life to the glory of Christ.

經文：詩篇卅七21～40 Scripture: Psalm 37:21-40

我們昨天說到在這首詩篇的第二部分，有關於惡人與義人的四個對比，而最後的兩個對比也提到了義人。今天在第三個段落裏，詩人繼續用三個對比直接處理惡人與義人。

Yesterday we said that in the second part of this psalm there are four contrasts concerning the wicked, the Lord, and, for the last two, the righteous. In this third section the psalmist continues with three more contrasts, dealing directly with the wicked and the righteous.

1.「惡人借貸而不償還；義人卻恩待人，並且施捨。」（21節）有兩種方法看這個對比。既然這首詩篇說到要打倒惡人，和對義人的祝福是對立的——他們要承受地土——因此有些神學家認為這裏不是指惡人在道德上的失敗，而是因為他們沒有昌盛到足以償還債務。H.C. Leupold寫到，「有些人借貸，但卻缺乏必要的資源來償還，但是其他人則蒙上帝大大的賜福，以至於總是可以償還真正的債務。」（註1）

1. "The wicked borrow and do not pay their debts, but the righteous give generously" (v. 21). There are two ways of looking at this contrast. Since the psalm is speaking of the overthrow of the wicked as opposed to the blessing on the righteous, who will inherit the land, some writers think of this not as a moral failure on the part of the wicked but rather as a failure to pay debts because they have not prospered and so cannot repay them. H. C. Leupold writes: "The one borrows and has not the wherewithal to repay, but the other is so well blessed by God that he can always repay his honest debts."1

這種觀點的問題在於，這節經文的具體內容，似乎沒有強調是否有能力，而是強調我們所謂的自私之心和慷慨之心之間的差別。這使得其他的註釋者，包括我自己，傾向於第二種觀點，即這裏的對比是Peter C. Craigie 所謂的「永遠的接受者」和「永久的贈與者」之間的對比。（註2）惡人總是為自己著想。他們借貸是因為他們想要快速成功，並且將借貸視為通往成功的捷徑。他們遲不還債，是因為他們想要盡可能地保持他們的資本，越久越好，而且經常不還貸款，要麼是因為他們心存僥倖，以為可以不必償還到期的債務，要麼是因為他們高估自己，以至於無法滿足他們的義務。

The trouble with this view is that the specific words of the verse do not seem to stress ability and non-ability, but rather what we would call the difference between a selfish and a generous spirit. This has inclined other commentators, including myself, to a second view, namely, that the contrast is between what Peter C. Craigie calls "perpetual takers" and "constant givers.”2 The wicked are always out for themselves. They borrow because they want to get ahead quickly and see this as a short road to success. They are slow to repay because they want to keep their capital as long as possible, and often do not repay, either because they think they can get away with not repaying or not paying all that is due or because they overextend themselves and are unable to meet their obligations.

對義人來說，這根本不是出人頭地、借貸、償還的問題。對他們來說，金錢是上帝賜給他們、用來幫助其他人的禮物。因此，他們在本質上是慷慨的，而不是自私或貪得無厭的。他們總是為其他人著想，而不只是為自己著想。

With the righteous it is not a question of getting ahead or borrowing or repaying at all. For them money is a gift of God to be used to help others. Therefore, they are essentially generous rather than being essentially selfish and acquisitive. They are for others, rather than being only for themselves.

在這點上，我必須具體指出關於我們自己文化——以及沉迷於這種文化的基督徒——的一件事。我們現行的經濟體系正企圖以長期的債務為代價，來獲得短期的昌盛。政府以未來為賭注大肆借貸，使政府債成了天文數字。但是真正令人害怕、使人敗壞的事情是，個人也如法炮製，並被鼓勵借錢度日，且越陷越深。

I need to say something very practical about our own culture at this point—and about Christians who are caught up in it. Our current economic system is trying to achieve short-term prosperity at the cost of long-term debt. The government is doing it by borrowing against the future. Government debt is astronomical. But the really frightening and corrupting thing is that individuals are also doing it and are being encouraged to do it more and more.

如果你有一個正常的工作或良好的信用，你就知道我在說什麼。你會收到從你的信用卡公司寄來的許多郵件，它們向你保證，你的信用好到一個程度，可以把借款上限提高到三千或五千美元，甚至更高。還有許多你聽都沒聽過的公司，想要你去申請他們的信用卡，並且給你一個「預先核准」的信貸額度。把這些上限加在一起，你會發現到，你有可能一次借成千上萬的錢，或許可以借到多達十萬美金或更多的債務。

If you have any regular job or any credit at all, you know what I mean. You receive mailings from your credit card company assuring you that your credit is so good that they have raised your borrowing limit from $3,000 to $5,000, or higher. And companies you have not even heard of try to get you to apply for their cards, having given you a "pre-approved" line of credit. When you put these limits together you find that it is possible for you to borrow tens of thousands of dollars, perhaps getting as much as $100,000 or even more in debt.

你不需要是基督徒也可以明白這是怎麼回事。有哪個人會愚蠢到以為他/她是被信用卡公司精挑細選、特別鎖定的客戶，只因為他/她的信用配得到這樣的待遇？銀行要你準時借錢，是因為他們可以靠借你更多的錢來賺錢，這比起他們自己去作生意可以賺得更多。目前的商業基本利率大約是9.5%，但是他們可以增加一倍，變成18%或20%，讓你用信用卡賒賬。正如我說的，你不需要是個基督徒也可以明白這是怎麼回事，也知道消費者債務是一個非常愚蠢的交易。

You don't have to be a Christian to realize what is happening. Who is foolish enough to think that he or she is so select a customer that the credit card companies have carefully sought him out or are courting her because the credit is deserved? The banks want you to borrow on time because they can make more money lending to you than they can commercially. The commercial prime rate is now about 9½ percent, but they can double that to 18 or 20 percent or more by getting you to buy on credit. As I say, you don't have to be a Christian to understand that for what it is and to know that consumer debt is a very foolish bargain.

除了愚蠢之外，只有一個理由可以說明，為什麼會有人上這種信用卡債務系統的當，那就是貪婪。這是一種慾望，想要立即擁有我們所貪戀之事物，不願意等待，為它打拼。

There is only one reason why anyone ever gets caught up in our credit-debt system besides stupidity, and that is greed. It is a desire to have what we covet immediately and unwillingness to wait and work for it.

但是這裏就是不信的人和基督徒之間的差別了，或者說是應該有的差別。基督徒不該是貪求的人。貪婪違反了第十誡——不可貪戀（出廿17）。不只是這樣，基督徒還必須是慷慨的人，首先是滿足於他/她目前所擁有的，然後會向其他人顯明這種慷慨。我不是說基督徒使用信用卡就是錯的，因為很顯然我們無法隨身攜帶著巨款去作生意，這在我們的文化裏是必要的。但是以下是一些底線，我稱它們是第一大和第二大的經濟誡命。

But that is where the difference between the unbeliever and the Christian comes, or should come. Christians must not be covetous. Greed breaks the tenth commandment, which tells us not to covet (Exod. 20:17). More than that, the believer must be generous, first by being content with what he or she has, and then showing generosity to others. I am not saying that it is wrong for Christians to use credit cards, since it is obviously impossible to carry around the large sums of money that are necessary to do business in our culture. But here are the guidelines. I call them the first and second great economic commandments.

首先，不要花超過你的月薪進帳後馬上就可以償清的費用，徹底避免利息。其次，你的花費不能使你無法首先滿足你的基督徒義務（十一奉獻），並且總是要保留一些額外的錢，以便可以隨時幫助其他人。

First, never charge more than you are able to pay off immediately when the monthly bill comes, avoiding interest entirely. Second, never charge so much that you are unable to meet your Christian obligations first, and always have some additional money left over to be able to help others.

記得保羅讚揚馬其頓貧窮的教會，因為「他們在患難中受大試煉的時候，仍有滿足的快樂」（林後八2）。他們之所以如此慷慨的原因是「他們......照著上帝的旨意，先把自己獻給主，然後獻給我們」（第5節；新譯本）這就是義人的特性。我們這個時代的精神是想要逮住我們，並且使我們陷在一個不斷升級的債務循環裏，這是惡人的精神，而不是主耶穌的精神。

Remember that Paul praised the poor churches of Macedonia because "their overwhelming joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity" (2 Cor. 8:2). The reason they were so generous is that "they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will" (v. 5). That is the character of the righteous. The spirit of our age, which is trying to catch us and keep us in an ever escalating cycle of debt, is the spirit, not of Jesus, but of the wicked.

研讀問題：

1. 從這課裏，你學到如何解釋第21節？

2. 博愛思博士建議基督徒如何使用信用卡？

Study Questions:

1. From the lesson, how is verse 21 explained?

2. What does Dr. Boice recommend for a Christian’s use of credit cards?

反思：我們文化的物質主義是否在任何方面對你是個誘惑？為了更慷慨地施捨給那些有需要的人，你能改變你的消費習慣嗎？

Reflection: Are there any ways in which the culture’s materialism poses a temptation for you? Can you change your buying practices in order to give generously to others in need?

註：

1 H. C. Leupold, Exposition of the Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1969), p. 303.

2 Peter C. Craigie, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 19, Psalms 1-50 (Waco, TX: Word, 1983), p. 298.

不要憂慮：第二部分，第3日。

Not to Worry: Part 2, Day 3

今日主題：義人蒙福，惡人被剪除

Theme: The Righteous Blessed and the Wicked Cut Off

在本週的功課中，我們會看到惡人與義人的對比，並且學習成熟的基督徒如何為了基督的榮耀來處理人生的一切。

In this week’s lessons we see how the wicked and righteous are contrasted, and learn how the mature Christian approaches all of life to the glory of Christ.

經文：詩篇卅七21～40 Scripture: Psalm 37:21-40

惡人與義人之間的第一個對比是惡人借貸卻不會償還債務，而義人卻慷慨施捨。

The first contrast between the wicked and the righteous is that the wicked borrow and do not pay their debts, while the righteous give generously.

2. 義人必承受地土，但惡人必被剪除（22節）。第二個對比的意思是要我們拿「以色列地」按照字面意義來看待，因為承受應許地是偉大的舊約應許之一。這個應許對我們來說卻有不同的涵義，因為新約並未應許信徒會佔有或承受應許地（或任何土地）的任何一部分。不過，我們有第三福的應許：「溫柔的人有福了，因為他們必承受地土。」（太五5）這是新約的應許，是對基督徒說的。這是什麼意思呢？

2. The righteous will inherit the land, but the wicked will be cut off (v. 22). This second contrast is meant to be taken of the land of Israel literally, since inheritance of the land is one of the great Old Testament promises. It is not the same for us, since there are no promises that New Testament believers are to possess or inherit portions of the Promised (or any other) Land. Yet, there is the third beatitude: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). That is a New Testament promise, spoken to Christians. What does it mean?

可以有三種意思。首先，這可以指未來的一個日子，那時信徒會與基督一同在地上掌權。不是所有的末世論都容許這樣的解釋，但這是可容許的解讀。意義重大的是，耶穌將「承受土地」(land)——意指以色列地，改成了「承受地土」（earth），意義更加寬廣。其次，這福可以是指一般的昌盛，可以算是對詩篇教導的一個公允的現代應用。這可以用來指上帝會眷顧那些尋求祂、為祂而活的人。他們會有享用美物的機會。大部分的基督徒，即使是那些不被世人看好的，也可以為此作見證。富有是相對的，義人擁有的雖少，但是也強過惡人的富裕，如同這首詩篇已經說過的（16節）。第三個可能的意思是，這個福分是整個地球都是要賜給義人享用的，他們可以享用，但惡人卻無法享用，因為義人看見這事，並且將這事當作他們滿有恩典的天父賜給他們的禮物來領受。

There are three things it can mean. First, it can be speaking of a future day in which believers will reign with Christ on earth. Not all views of eschatology allow this, but if it is a permissible interpretation, it is significant that Jesus changes the words "inherit the land," meaning the land of Israel, to "inherit the earth," which is broader. Second, the beatitude can be speaking of prosperity in general, which would be a fair contemporary application of the psalm's teaching. It would mean that God will care for those who seek him and live for him. They will have their share of good things. Most Christians can testify to that, even those whom the world would regard as not being very well off. Riches are relative, and the little the righteous have is better than the abundance of the wicked, as the psalm has already said (v. 16). The third possible meaning of the beatitude is that the entire earth is given to the righteous to enjoy, and they can enjoy it as the wicked cannot, since they see it and receive it as a gift of their gracious heavenly Father.

溫柔的人因此可以承受萬有，因為他們不需要以獨占或自私的心態擁有它們。保羅就是這樣的人。他擁有的很少，卻將自己描述為「樣樣都有」（林前六10）。同樣，他提醒哥林多人，「所以無論誰，都不可拿人誇口，因為萬有全是你們的。或保羅，或亞波羅，或磯法，或世界，或生，或死，或現今的事，或將來的事，全是你們的；並且你們是屬基督的，基督又是屬神的。」（林前三21）

The meek can inherit all things in this way because they do not have to possess them exclusively or selfishly. Paul was such a man. He owned little yet could describe himself as "possessing everything" (2 Cor. 6:10). Likewise he reminded the Corinthians that "all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God” (1 Cor. 3:21).

3. 惡人必被剪除，義人雖失腳卻不至全身仆倒，因為耶和華攙扶他（23、24節）。最後的一個對比是接續前一個對比的結尾，而且和前幾個對比不同，沒有使用「但、卻」這樣的詞。然而這仍然是一個清楚的對比。惡人會被剪除，但是耶和華會扶持義人，即使他們在這路上會失腳或暫時經歷一些困難。

3. The wicked will be cut off, but although the righteous may stumble they will not fall since the Lord upholds them (vv. 23, 24). The last of these contrasts picks up from the end of the one preceding and does not use the word "but," as the others do. Yet it is still a clear contrast. The wicked will be cut off, but the Lord will sustain the righteous, even though they may stumble along the way or experience hardships for a time.

第23節是英王欽定本（KJV）裏為人熟知的（甚至是更好的翻譯）經文，這節經文說到：「義人的腳步被耶和華立定（ordered）」。艾恩賽（Harry Ironside）在他對這首詩篇的註釋裏，提到一個關於穆勒（George Mueller）的故事。穆勒是十九世紀英格蘭一個大有信心的孤兒院的奠基者。他窮盡一生之力，將孤兒的需要擺在上帝面前，並且看見他的禱告得到許多美好的回應。艾恩賽的故事是關於一個拾起穆勒的聖經的人。當他翻閱穆勒的聖經，翻到詩篇卅七篇23節時，看見穆勒在「腳步」這個詞旁邊，加上了「還有一切的阻礙」（and the stops）這幾個字。顯然，穆勒是在默想這節經文，並且他當時心裏想到的是，不只是前進的動作是耶和華所立定的，連被強制而過的閒散生活也是耶和華所命定的。因為對義人來說，即使這種時候，也是上帝滿有恩典的計劃。（註3）

Verse 23 is better known (and may even be better translated) in the King James Version of the Bible, which says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD." In his commentary on this psalm Harry Ironside tells a story about George Mueller, the founder of the great faith orphanages in England in the nineteenth century. Mueller was a man of great prayer and faith. He spent a lifetime placing the needs of his orphanages before God and saw many wonderful answers to his prayers. Ironside's story is about someone who once picked up George Mueller's Bible and was thumbing through it when he came to Psalm 37:23 and saw that next to the words "the steps" Mueller had written into the margin "and the stops." Apparently, Mueller had been meditating on this verse, and it had occurred to him that it is not only forward motion that is ordered by the Lord but also times of enforced inactivity. For the righteous even these times have a gracious design.3

研讀問題：

1. 如何理解22節？你偏好哪一種觀點？

2. 當我們失腳時，主會用哪些方法來攙扶我們？

Study Questions:

1. How can verse 22 be understood? Which view do you prefer?

2. What are some ways the Lord sustains us when we stumble?

應用：當事情正在發生，尤其是當這些事是我們想要的時候，比較容易追溯上帝的手在我們人生中行事的踪影。但是當似乎沒有什麼事情正在發生，而上帝似乎是沉默之時，就比較難追溯了。在這些明顯是毫無作為的時期當中，上帝有可能想要教導我們什麼呢？

Application: It is easier to trace the Lord’s hand in our life when things are happening, particularly when they are things we desire. But it is harder when nothing seems to be happening and God appears to be silent. What might God be intending to teach us during those periods of apparent inactivity?

註：

3H. A. Ironside, Studies on Book One of the Psalms (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, 1952), p. 220.

不要憂慮：第二部分，第4日。

Not to Worry: Part 2, Day 4

今日主題：一位老者的見證與建議

Theme: An Old Man’s Testimony and Counsel

在本週的功課中，我們會看到惡人與義人的對比，並且學習成熟的基督徒如何為了基督的榮耀來處理人生的一切。

In this week’s lessons we see how the wicked and righteous are contrasted, and learn how the mature Christian approaches all of life to the glory of Christ.

經文：詩篇卅七21∼40Scripture: Psalm 37:21-40

在這兩個包含了七個主要是關於義人和惡人之間的對比的段落（12∼26節）之後，大衛補上了一位老者對他所說的真理的見證（25、26節）。他告訴我們，他從來沒有見過這些真理是互相矛盾的：「我從前年幼，現在年老，卻未見過義人被棄，也未見過他的後裔討飯。」

At the end of these two sections, which contain seven contrasts, most between the righteous and the wicked (vv. 12-26), David appends an old man's testimony to the truth of what he has said (vv. 25, 26). He tells us that he has never seen these truths contradicted: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (v. 25).

我們也有可能這樣說嗎？前面的部分還好說。我們可以確信，上帝自己絕對不會遺棄義人。除此之外，耶穌也說到：「我就常與你們同在」（太廿八20）但是我們是否可以說，我們從來沒有見過義人的後裔向人討飯呢？我們從來沒有見過義人缺乏生活的必需品嗎？這個問題曾經困擾過司布真，他解決這個問題的辦法是在大衛的見證和他自己的見證之間作出區分。他沒有怪罪大衛，而是承認第23節不是他自己個人的觀察，至少他的經驗是如此。他曾經見過義人的後裔乞討。司布真說到：「我曾經接濟過無疑是許多好人的兒女，他們像乞丐一樣來求我幫助。」（註4）

Would it be possible for us to say that? The first part is alright. We can be sure that God himself never abandons the righteous. Besides, Jesus said, "I will be with you always" (Matt. 28:20). But can we say that we have never seen the children of the righteous begging bread? That we have never seen the righteous without life's necessities? That question troubled Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who solved it by distinguishing between David's testimony and his own. He did not fault David, but he acknowledged that verse 23 was not his personal observation, at least as it stands. He had seen the children of the righteous begging. "I have relieved the children of undoubtedly good men, who have appealed to me as common mendicants," he reported.4

我想我的見證大概介於兩者之間。我從來沒有見過信徒的兒女實際上在討飯，雖然我認識一些貧窮的基督徒，而且毫無疑問在一些地方，生活是非常困苦的，以至於信徒的兒女會像其他人一樣必須去乞討。

I suppose my testimony is somewhere in between. I have never seen the children of believers actually begging food, though I know poor Christians and do not doubt that there are places where living is so poor that the offspring of believers beg, as do others.

但是這個觀察還是個不錯的觀察，即使它不用一種絕對的角度來理解。上帝的確會供應義人和他們的後裔。千萬人可以為此作見證。確實，他們可以為我們在這裏所說的作見證。基納（Derek Kidner），最有趣和最有用的詩篇註釋家中的其中一位，他對這節經文的印象如此深刻，以至於將保羅在談到他所經歷到的上帝的供應時所用的語句（在林後四9和六10），和大衛在詩篇卅七篇裏的話結合在一起，並且為12∼26節提供了以下的大綱：1) 遭逼迫，卻不被遺棄（12∼15節）；2) 似乎一無所有，卻是樣樣都有（15∼20、25節）； 3) 叫許多人富足（21、22、26節）； 4) 似乎受責罰，卻不至喪命（23、24節）。

But the observation is still a good one even if it needs to be taken in less than an absolute sense. God does provide for the righteous and their children. Millions will testify to that. Indeed, they will testify to all that has been said here. Derek Kidner, one of the most interesting and useful commentators on the Psalms, was so impressed with this that he joined phrases the Apostle Paul used of his experience of God's provision (in 2 Corinthians 4:9 and 6:10) with David's words in Psalm 37 to provide the following outline for verses 12-26: 1) "persecuted but not forsaken” (vv. 12-15); 2) “as having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (vv. 16-20, 25); 3) "making many rich" (vv. 21, 22, 26); and 4) "cast down, but not destroyed" (vv. 23, 24).

換句話說，大衛的見證也是保羅的見證。因此這也是千百萬上帝百姓的見證。In other words, David's testimony was Paul's testimony too. And so it has been with millions of God's people.

我將詩篇卅七篇的第四部分稱為「一位老者對年輕人的建議」（27∼33節），因為在說到自己是個老人後，大衛接著對那些比自己年輕或不如他對上帝的工作那麼有經驗的人提出忠告。

I have called the fourth part of Psalm 37 "an old man's counsel to the young" (vv. 27-33), because having spoken of himself as an old man, David then goes on to give advice to people who have not lived as long or seen as much of God's workings as he has.

這個段落是從一個命令開始的，如同下一個段落一樣。在這裏，大衛說道：「你當離惡行善。」（27節）這是一個語句的組合，有點像第3節所說的「你當倚靠耶和華而行善」。這是在確認，信心必然會帶來善行。我們之前已經作過研究。但是，這裏的經文接著說到了善行，因為30節闡述先前的教導，補充說到：「義人的口談論智慧，他的舌頭講說公平。」為什麼會這樣？答案在31節。這是因為「上帝的律法在他心裏」。司布真稱之為「把最好的東西放在最好的地方，就會產生最好的結果。」（註5）而麥克拉倫（Alexander Maclaren）明智地寫道：「永恆就是建立在這個基礎上。以此為中心，一方面會發出智慧和公平的言語，另一方面會發出穩定的作為......因此，那些按照上帝啟示的旨意來安排他腳步的人，會得救脫離許多的躊躇猶疑，三心二意和失腳，即使在容易滑跌之處，也會穩穩站立。」（註6）

The section begins with a command, just as the next section also does. Here David says, "Turn from evil and do good" (v. 27). This is a combination similar to the words "trust in the LORD and do good" in verse 3. It is an affirmation about faith leading to good works. We studied it earlier. Here, however, the verses go on to speak of good words, since verse 30 elaborates the earlier teaching by adding: "The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just." Why is this? The answer is in verse 31. It is because "the law of God is in his heart." Spurgeon calls this "the best thing in the best place, producing the best results.”5 And Alexander Maclaren writes wisely, "That is the foundation on which all permanence is built. From that as center there issue wise and just words on the one hand and stable deeds on the other.... Therefore he who orders his footsteps by God's known will is saved from much hesitancy, vacillation and stumbling, and plants a firm foot even on slippery places."6

研讀問題：

1. 第25節背後的原則是什麼？

2. 我們如何轉離邪惡，尤其是在罪惡看似非常有吸引力的時刻？

Study Questions:

1. What is the principle behind verse 25?

2. How do we turn from evil, especially in those times when it is appealing?

反思：你能說上帝的律法在你心裏（31節）嗎？

Reflection: Can you say that the law of God is in your heart (v. 31)?

註：

4C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, vol. 1b, Psalms 27-57 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1968), p. 176.

5Ibid., p. 177.

6Alexander Maclaren, The Psalms, vol. 1, Psalms 1-38 (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1893), pp. 371, 372.

不要憂慮：第二部分，第5日。

Not to Worry: Part 2, Day 5

今日主題：高瞻遠矚

Theme: Taking the Long View

在本週的功課中，我們會看到惡人與義人的對比，並且學習成熟的基督徒如何為了基督的榮耀來處理人生的一切。

In this week’s lessons we see how the wicked and righteous are contrasted, and learn how the mature Christian approaches all of life to the glory of Christ.

經文：詩篇卅七21～40 Scripture: Psalm 37:21-40

詩篇卅七篇的第五部分鼓勵我們要高瞻遠矚（34～40節）。這不是這首詩篇的一個新的主題。我們先前已經看到過，但是這個主題似乎主導著這個最後的段落。這個教導的根基是，義人終究會得到高舉，受到保護，而惡人卻會被拆毀。因此，詩人吩咐我們，「你當等候耶和華，遵守祂的道。」（34節）

Part five of Psalm 37 encourages us to take the long view (vv. 34-40). This is not a new theme in the psalm. We have seen it earlier, but it seems to dominate this last section. The ground for this teaching is that in the long run the righteous will be exalted and protected, and the wicked will be brought down. Therefore, the psalmist commands us to "wait for the LORD and keep his way" (v. 34).

在詩篇第一篇，作者用了一個很生動的比喻，來說明倚靠上帝的話來生活的人會有怎樣的人生。他說到，他會像「一棵樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子」（第3節）。在詩篇卅七篇，類似的比喻再度出現。但是在這裏，這個比喻被倒過來用，惡人被比喻成一棵青翠、暫時發旺的樹，但是很快就枯萎，踪跡難覓了（35、36節）。這是出乎我們意料之外的。在這首詩篇的早先部分，惡人被比喻成野地裏漂亮的花朵，維持不了多久。這似乎是正確的。但是我們很難想像一棵大樹會瞬間死亡，除非它是被砍掉了，這似乎是詩人腦海裏所浮現的。無論如何，花朵的景象似乎更合情理。

In Psalm 1 the author used an attractive metaphor for the life of the person who lives by God's word. He said he will be "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season" (v. 3). In Psalm 37 the same metaphor reappears. But here it is used in reverse, the wicked being compared to a green tree which flourishes for a time but soon passes away and is seen no more (vv. 35,36). This is not what we would naturally expect. Earlier in the psalm the wicked were compared to pretty flowers of the field, which do not last long. That seems right. But it is hard to think of a great tree suddenly passing away, unless perhaps it is cut down, which may be what the psalmist is thinking. Still, the flower image seems better.

當然，聖經的內容都是正確的。因此，在這個例子上，我認為關於這棵樹的圖像是要教導我們，有些時候，惡人也會發旺，以至於和義人沒有什麼區別。他們的安全感同樣似乎也有保證。他們非常興旺。但是聖經教導我們不要用外表來判斷，而是要用上帝的話來判斷。箴言三章5、6節說到：「你要專心仰賴耶和華，不可倚靠自己的聰明，在你一切所行的事上都要認定祂，祂必指引你的路。」

Nothing in the Bible is a mistake, of course. So in this case I imagine the image of the tree to be teaching that there are times when the wicked do so well that they seem indistinguishable from the righteous. Their security seems equally assured. They flourish. But we are taught not to judge by appearances but by the word of God. Proverbs 3:5, 6 says: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

這就是詩篇卅七篇一直在鼓勵我們要做的，也是上帝的兒女會經驗到的，如果他或她：1) 信靠耶和華；2) 以耶和華為樂；3) 將他/她的道交託給耶和華。4) 在耶和華面前默然等候；5) 禁止自己不作惡事。這樣做的人，他們的結局就會像詩篇的結尾一樣，相當可觀地重申到，耶和華會幫助、解救那些信靠祂的人。

That is what Psalm 37 has been encouraging us to do and what the child of God will experience if he or she 1) trusts in the Lord; 2) delights in the Lord; 3) commits his or her way to the Lord; 4) is still before the Lord; and 5) refrains from doing evil. The one who does that will end as the psalm itself does, with meek objectivity, reiterating that the Lord helps, delivers and saves those who trust him.

「但是我永遠不可能變成那樣」，有些人會這樣抗議說到，「溫柔不是我的天性」。我們的本性都不是溫柔的人。但是只要我們願意將自己的道路交託給上帝，並且效法耶穌基督，如同這首詩篇所忠告的，我們就會成為溫柔的人。「凡勞苦擔重擔的人可以到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。我心裡柔和謙卑，你們當負我的軛，學我的樣式；這樣，你們心裡就必得享安息。」（太十一28、29）

"But I can never become like that," someone protests. "It is not my nature to be meek.” It is not any of our natures to be meek. But we can become meek if we will commit our way to God and learn from him, as the psalm advises. We are to learn from Jesus, who said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle [meek] and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matt. 11:28, 29).

研讀問題：

1. 博愛思博士所說的「高瞻遠矚」是什麼意思？

2. 試比較詩篇第一篇和詩篇卅七篇關於書的圖像。在哪些方面有不同的用法？

Study Questions:

1. What does Dr. Boice mean by taking "the long view”?

2. Compare the use of the image of the tree in Psalm 1 and here in Psalm 37. How is the image being used differently?

應用：在哪些特殊的範圍，你必須要高瞻遠矚的？

Application: Are there any specific areas in which you need to take the long view?

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