Befriend Faithfulness - Psalms 36-38

Psalms 37:3-4 (ESV)

Trust in the LORD, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Befriend “faithfulness.”   What does that mean?  In the ESV there is a note in regard to the “befriend faithfulness” words:  (ESV) “Or, and feed on faithfulness, or and find safe pasture.”   The statement might mean that we are to “be faithful” and “trust in the Lord.”  That certainly fits the contexts of the verse since that is what David, the writer, just stated.   Faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit.  Those who walk in the Spirit and are being led by the Spirit will certainly see faithfulness produces in their life by the Holy Spirit.  That is a promise of God.   

However, perhaps, what David is saying is that we are to “trust in the Lord” and “befriend HIS (God’s) faithfulness.”    Notice what it says in Psalm 91, that aligns with these thoughts.  That Psalm is telling us to run for cover under God’s wings, because:

Psalms 91:4 (ESV)

He will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

God is faithful to us.  He is our “shield and buckler.   In Psalm 37 we are reading what David has composed as how we are to live our lives.  There is no doubt that being faithful to God is intended.   But, probably more likely we are to “dwell in the land” and “befriend” the faithfulness of God.    As much as the Holy Spirit is producing faithfulness in us, notice what Solomon said about our nature:

Proverbs 20:6 (ESV)

Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?

Our responsibility in our walk with God is to trust and befriend His faithfulness so that He can, by the Spirit of God, produce Spirit-made faithfulness in us.  Perhaps David means to have some ambiguity in this verse.  Perhaps we are to befriend the faithfulness of God, so that He can produce faithfulness sin us by His Spirit.