Psalms 37

1 Don't be worried on account of the wicked; don't be jealous of those who do wrong.

2 They will soon disappear like grass that dries up; they will die like plants that wither.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and be safe.

4 Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire.

5 Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you;

6 he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be patient and wait for the Lord to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans.

8 Don't give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble.

9 Those who trust in the Lord will possess the land, but the wicked will be driven out.

10 Soon the wicked will disappear; you may look for them, but you won't find them;

11 but the humble will possess the land ¹ and enjoy prosperity and peace.

12 The wicked plot against good people and glare at them with hate.

13 But the Lord laughs at wicked people, because he knows they will soon be destroyed.

14 The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and needy, to slaughter those who do what is right;

15 but they will be killed by their own swords, and their bows will be smashed.

16 The little that a good person owns is worth more than the wealth of all the wicked,

17 because the Lord will take away the strength of the wicked, but protect those who are good.

18 The Lord takes care of those who obey him, and the land will be theirs forever.

19 They will not suffer when times are bad; they will have enough in time of famine.

20 But the wicked will die; the enemies of the Lord will vanish like wild flowers; they will disappear like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and never pay back, but good people are generous with their gifts.

22 Those who are blessed by the Lord will possess the land, but those who are cursed by him will be driven out.

23 The Lord guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please him.

24 If they fall, they will not stay down, because the Lord will help them up.

25 I am old now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen good people abandoned by the Lord or their children begging for food.

26 At all times they give freely and lend to others, and their children are a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good, and your descendants will always live in the land;

28 for the Lord loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people. He protects them forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.

29 The righteous will possess the land and live in it forever.

30 The words of good people are wise, and they are always fair.

31 They keep the law of their God in their hearts and never depart from it.

32 Wicked people watch good people and try to kill them;

33 but the Lord will not abandon them to their enemy's power or let them be condemned when they are on trial.

34 Put your hope in the Lord and obey his commands; he will honor you by giving you the land, and you will see the wicked driven out.

35 I once knew someone wicked who was a tyrant; he towered over everyone like a cedar of Lebanon;

36 but later I passed by, and he wasn't there; I looked for him, but couldn't find him.

37 Notice good people, observe the righteous; peaceful people have descendants,

38 but sinners are completely destroyed, and their descendants are wiped out.

39 The Lord saves the righteous and protects them in times of trouble.

40 He helps them and rescues them; he saves them from the wicked, because they go to him for protection.

Psalms 37 Commentary

Chapter 37

David persuades to patience and confidence in God, by the state of the godly and of the wicked.

Verses 1-6 When we look abroad we see the world full of evil-doers, that flourish and live in ease. So it was seen of old, therefore let us not marvel at the matter. We are tempted to fret at this, to think them the only happy people, and so we are prone to do like them: but this we are warned against. Outward prosperity is fading. When we look forward, with an eye of faith, we shall see no reason to envy the wicked. Their weeping and wailing will be everlasting. The life of religion is a believing trust in the Lord, and diligent care to serve him according to his will. It is not trusting God, but tempting him, if we do not make conscience of our duty to him. A man's life consists not in abundance, but, Thou shalt have food convenient for thee. This is more than we deserve, and it is enough for one that is going to heaven. To delight in God is as much a privilege as a duty. He has not promised to gratify the appetites of the body, and the humours of the fancy, but the desires of the renewed, sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and serve God. Commit thy way unto the Lord; roll thy way upon the Lord, so the margin reads it. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, the burden of thy care. We must roll it off ourselves, not afflict and perplex ourselves with thoughts about future events, but refer them to God. By prayer spread thy case and all thy cares before the Lord, and trust in him. We must do our duty, and then leave the event with God. The promise is very sweet: He shall bring that to pass, whatever it is, which thou has committed to him.

Verses 7-20 Let us be satisfied that God will make all to work for good to us. Let us not discompose ourselves at what we see in this world. A fretful, discontented spirit is open to many temptations. For, in all respects, the little which is allotted to the righteous, is more comfortable and more profitable than the ill-gotten and abused riches of ungodly men. It comes from a hand of special love. God provides plentifully and well, not only for his working servants, but for his waiting servants. They have that which is better than wealth, peace of mind, peace with God, and then peace in God; that peace which the world cannot give, and which the world cannot have. God knows the believer's days. Not one day's work shall go unrewarded. Their time on earth is reckoned by days, which will soon be numbered; but heavenly happiness shall be for ever. This will be a real support to believers in evil times. Those that rest on the Rock of ages, have no reason to envy the wicked the support of their broken reeds.

Verses 21-33 The Lord our God requires that we do justly, and render to all their due. It is a great sin for those that are able, to deny the payment of just debts; it is a great misery not to be able to pay them. He that is truly merciful, will be ever merciful. We must leave our sins; learn to do well, and cleave to it. This is true religion. The blessing of God is the spring, sweetness, and security of all earthly enjoyments. And if we are sure of this, we are sure not to want any thing good for us in this world. By his grace and Holy Spirit, he directs the thoughts, affections, and designs of good men. By his providence he overrules events, so as to make their way plain. He does not always show them his way for a distance, but leads them step by step, as children are led. God will keep them from being ruined by their falls, either into sin or into trouble, though such as fall into sin will be sorely hurt. Few, if any, have known the consistent believer, or his children, reduced to abject, friendless want. God forsakes not his saints in affliction; and in heaven only the righteous shall dwell for ever; that will be their everlasting habitation. A good man may fall into the hands of a messenger of Satan, and be sorely buffeted, but God will not leave him in his enemy's hands.

Verses 34-40 Duty is ours, and we must mind it; but events are God's, we must refer the disposal of them to him. What a striking ( psalms 37:35-36 ) But God remarkably blights the projects of the prosperous wicked, especially persecutors. None are perfect in themselves, but believers are so in Christ Jesus. If all the saint's days continue dark and cloudy, his dying day may prove comfortable, and his sun set bright; or, if it should set under a cloud, yet his future state will be everlasting peace. The salvation of the righteous will be the Lord's doing. He will help them to do their duties, to bear their burdens; help them to bear their troubles well, and get good by them, and, in due time, will deliver them out of their troubles. Let sinners then depart from evil, and do good; repent of and forsake sin, and trust in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Let them take his yoke upon them, and learn of him, that they may dwell for evermore in heaven. Let us mark the closing scenes of different characters, and always depend on God's mercy.

Cross References

• 1. 37.11Matthew 5.5.

Footnotes

• [a]. [One ancient translation] like a cedar of Lebanon; [Hebrew unclear.]
• [b]. [Some ancient translations] I; [Hebrew] he.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 37

\\<<[A Psalm] of David>>\\. This psalm, it is very probable, was written at the same time, and upon the same occasion, with the former; and describes the different states of good and bad men; and is full of exhortations, instructions, and advice to the people of God; intermixed with various encouraging promises. A late learned writer {h} thinks it was written for Mephibosheth's consolation under Ziba's calumny. {h} Delaney's Life of King David, vol. 2. p. 219.