“Do Not Be Envious”

3, 4. As recorded at Psalm 37:1, what advice does David give, and why is heeding it appropriate today?

³ We are living in “critical times hard to deal with,” and wickedness abounds. We have seen come true the apostle Paul’s words: “Wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.” (2 Timothy 3:1, 13) How easy it is to be affected by the apparent success and prosperity of wicked people! All of that can distract us, causing our spiritual vision to get out of focus. Note how the opening words of Psalm 37 alert us to this potential danger: “Do not show yourself heated up because of the evildoers. Do not be envious of those doing unrighteousness.”

⁴ The world’s media daily bombard us with a list of injustices. Dishonest businessmen get away with fraud. Criminals exploit the vulnerable. Murderers remain undetected or go unpunished. All such examples of the perversion of justice can provoke anger and disturb our peace of mind. The seeming success of evildoers may even prompt feelings of envy. But will our being upset improve the situation? Does envy of the apparent advantages that the wicked enjoy alter the outcome for them? Most definitely not! And there is really no need for us to become “heated up.” Why not?

5. Why are evildoers likened to grass?

⁵ The psalmist answers: “For like grass they will speedily wither, and like green new grass they will fade away.” (Psalm 37:2) Green new grass may look pretty, but the blades soon shrivel and die. Likewise with evildoers. Their apparent prosperity is not permanent. When they die, their ill-gotten gains help them no more. Justice finally catches up with everyone. “The wages sin pays is death,” wrote Paul. (Romans 6:23) Evildoers and all who are unrighteous will finally receive their “wages” and no more. What a profitless way of life!​—Psalm 37:35, 36; 49:16, 17.

6. What lesson can we draw from Psalm 37:1, 2?

⁶ Should we, then, allow the fleeting prosperity of evildoers to disturb us? The lesson from the first two verses of Psalm 37 is this: Do not allow their success to cause you to deviate from your chosen course to serve Jehovah. Rather, keep your focus on spiritual blessings and goals.​—Proverbs 23:17.

8. How can participation in the Christian ministry help us to avoid being unduly disturbed by the prosperity of the wicked?

⁸ One antidote to being disturbed by the prosperity of the wicked is to be busy searching out and helping sheeplike ones to come to an accurate knowledge of Jehovah’s purpose. In the face of increasing wickedness, we need to be fully occupied with helping others. “Do not forget the doing of good and the sharing of things with others,” said the apostle Paul, “for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” The greatest “good” we can do is to share with others the glorious good news of God’s Kingdom. Our public preaching truly is “a sacrifice of praise.”​—Hebrews 13:15, 16; Galatians 6:10.