Bible Commentaries
Psalms 37

Verses 1-2

Psa 37:1-2

RIGHTEOUS REWARDED; WICKED PUNISHED

This interesting acrostic psalm has long been a popular reservoir for the selection of memory verses. Hymns have been written on some of the statements here, notably, the one, "John Wesley translated from the German, `Commit Thou All Thy Griefs,’ or (in some hymnals) `Put Thou Thy Trust in God.’” Also Felix Mendelssohn’s "O Rest in the Lord" (in the Oratorio `Elijah’) is based upon this chapter.

There is no sufficient grounds for setting aside the assignment of the psalm to David in the superscription; and, if indeed, he wrote it, it seems likely that it is one of the psalms from his old age, based upon Psalms 37:25.

"The theme of the Psalm is stated in the very first line, `Fret not thyself because of the wicked.’ This is repeated in Psalms 37:7 b and Psalms 37:8.”

The design or the purpose of the psalm was described by Rawlinson:

"The object of this poem is to reassure men whose minds are disturbed by the fact of the frequent prosperity of the wicked, and to convince them that in every case retribution will overtake the ungodly man at the last, and to impress upon men that the condition of the righteous, even when they suffer, is far preferable to that of the wicked, what ever prosperity they may enjoy.”

For purposes of this study, we shall break the forty verses of this chapter down into these paragraphs, as suggested by Leupold.

(1) Counsel against irritation over evil-doers (Psalms 37:1-2). (2) The need of trust in the Lord (Psalms 37:3-7). (3) Further reasons for avoiding irritation (Psalms 37:8-11). (4) The futility of the wrongdoers’ activity (Psalms 37:12-15). (5) The righteous and the wicked contrasted (Psalms 37:16-22). (6). The blessings enjoyed by the righteous (Psalms 37:23-28). (7) Further marks of the righteous (Psalms 37:29-34). (8). Final contrast between the righteous and the wicked (Psalms 37:35-40).

FRET NOT THYSELF OVER EVIL-DOERS

Psalms 37:1-2

"Fret not thyself because of evil-doers.

Neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,

And wither as the green herb."

"Fret not thyself, etc." (Psalms 37:1). This entire verse is quoted almost verbatim in Proverbs 24:19; and there’s also an obvious reference to it in Proverbs 23:17.

Some have deplored the fact that David in his dealings with the problem of the prosperity of the wicked did not have the advantage of the New Testament teaching regarding the ultimate rewards of the righteous in heaven and the eternal punishment of the wicked following the Final Judgment.

Of course, it must be admitted that Old Testament writers indeed had much less information than Christians about such things; but the psalmist’s words as they appear in this chapter are fully adequate. "His faith that infinite love rules the universe, that righteousness is always gain, and that wickedness is always loss is grandly and eternally true.”

Also, it should be pointed out that faith in the resurrection of the dead belonged to "all the Old Testament saints." The writer of Hebrews noted all of the things that so many of those saints suffered, and `Why did they do it’? The answer is, "That they might obtain a better resurrection"! (Hebrews 11:35).

DeHoff’s commentary on this is that, "This psalm teaches that the prosperity of the wicked is superficial and temporary, and that those who trust in God may be certain that, finally, they will be the ones who are blessed.”

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 37:1. It seems a little strange for David to give us this advice, after he has said so much about those evildoers and manifested so much concern over them. It will be well to read the comments at ch. 10:1 in connection with the above remarks. But this verse is good advice, for after all these wicked men are not to be envied.

Psalms 37:2. This verse does not teach that the wicked will be put out of existence as materialists claim. It means they will soon come to the end of their wicked plans.

Verses 3-7

Psa 37:3-7

Psalms 37:3-7

NEED OF TRUST IN THE LORD

"Trust in Jehovah, and do good;

Dwell in the land and feed on his faithfulness.

Delight thyself also in Jehovah;

And he will give thee the desires of thy heart.

Commit thy way unto Jehovah;

Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.

And he will make thy righteousness go forth as the light,

And the justice as the noonday.

Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him:

Fret not thyself because of him that prospereth in his way,

Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass."

That marvelous aria from Mendelssohn’s Elijah, gives Psalms 37:7 here, along with Psalms 37:1, as the scriptural basis of the words of the aria, which are as follows:

"O rest in the Lord; wait patiently for Him.

And He shall give thee thy heart’s desires.

Commit thy ways unto Him, and trust in Him,

And fret not thyself because of evil-doers."

Every Christian, at one time or another, has marvelled at the success and prosperity of men who are openly profane and wicked; and it is that problem with which the psalmist is dealing.

God’s people are repeatedly warned not to "fret." That means not to become irritated, angry, disturbed, or upset by what must appear to many as an injustice. The caution is that we should, `wait,’ `trust in the Lord,’ `commit our way unto God,’ and `rest’ in Him. And what will God do? He will continue his `faithfulness’ toward us; he will give us the desires of our hearts (according to the margin, this means the things we have prayed for); he will `bring it to pass’; and he will `make the righteous go forth as the light’ and the justice of his saints to shine as the noon sun."

These are among the most magnificent promises in the Bible, and God’s people can afford to trust them.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 37:3. Doing good is put before being fed, which is the same principle taught by Christ in Matthew 6:33. It is taken for granted that if a man really does trust in the Lord he will do his part in acquiring the necessities of life. Psalms 37:4. The promises of God are generally made conditional. Here we are taught that a man will get his Heart’s desire if he will delight in the Lord. That is true, for a man who has that regard for the Lord will not have unrighteous desires.

Psalms 37:5. This verse has much the same thought as the preceding one. Commit thy way literally means to roll one’s burdens on the Lord. The New Testament teaches this idea in 1 Peter 5:7 . Then after committing one’s way on the Lord he should not regret his action but should trust in Him. Shall bring it to pass means that all desires that are according to the will of the Lord will be brought to pass.

Psalms 37:6. A beautiful object will look the more attractive if in the light. Likewise the righteous life of a man of God will shine all the more when brought forth in the divine light.

Psalms 37:7. This verse is about the same in thought as the first one. To rest in the Lord means to be contented in him and not be worrying at the success of the wicked.

Verses 8-11

Psa 37:8-11

Psalms 37:8-11

REASONS FOR NOT FRETTING OVER EVIL-DOERS

"Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:

Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil-doing.

For evil-doers shall be cut off;

But those that wait for Jehovah, they shall inherit the land.

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be:

Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and he shall not be.

But the meek shall inherit the land,

And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."

"Yet a little while, and the wicked shall be cut off" (Psalms 37:9), There is very likely a double meaning here. A lifetime on this earth is indeed a very brief time; and that fact is surely in view here; but the whole period of probation of mankind, which is concurrently extensive with the Christian dispensation is also but "a little time." The Lord has told us through the apostle John, that "The devil has great wrath (against mankind), knowing that he hath but a short time" (Revelation 12:12).

"And he shall not be" (Psalms 37:10). The marginal reading is that, "It shall not be," meaning that the place of the wicked shall not be found. Without this change, the meaning is simply that, "He (the wicked) shall not be found in his place."

"They shall inherit the land" (Psalms 37:9) The meek shall inherit the earth (Psalms 37:11). It should be noted that we have substituted the word "earth" for "land" in Psalms 37:11, for two reasons: (1) The Septuagint (LXX) renders it "earth"; and when Jesus Christ quoted from this chapter, he deliberately chose the reading, "The meek shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). It is our opinion that the preference of the Blessed Saviour should be allowed here (and everywhere, for that matter). It could not possibly have been an accident that Jesus used the word "earth." The Septuagint (LXX) has "land" in Psalms 37:9, and `earth’ in Psalms 37:11; and Christ obviously, therefore, deliberately selected the correct rendition

It is not true that the "meek shall inherit the land of Canaan," the meaning usually assigned by scholars to "land" in this context, but they shall inherit "the earth." Of course, there are suggestions in this of that "new heavens and a new earth" promised through the apostle Peter (2 Peter 3:13).

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 37:8. Anger is the violent action of the temper and wrath is the anger settled down into a steady heat; both degrees should be brought under control. A man should not "lose his temper" over the success of wicked persons.

Psalms 37:9. The success of evildoers will be brought to an end in God’s own way. To wait upon the Lord means to trust and obey him. Those who do so shall inherit the earth as the New Testament also teaches in Matthew 5:5; 2 Peter 3:13.

Psalms 37:10. Wicked shall not be as far as his activities in wrong are concerned.

Psalms 37:11. This verse repeats the statement in Psalms 37:9. It should be understood that no actual possession of this earthly globe is meant. But the righteous people on the earth shall appreciate the good things produced thereon, and later will be given a place on the new earth referred to in Psalms 37:9.

Verses 12-15

Psa 37:12-15

Psalms 37:12-15

THE FUTILITY OF THE WRONGDOER’S ACTIVITY

"The wicked plotteth against the just

And gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

The Lord will laugh at him;

For he seeth that his day is coming.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow,

To cast down the poor and needy,

To slay such as are upright in the way.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart,

And their bows shall be broken."

"And gnasheth on him with their teeth" (Psalms 37:12). The technical meaning here is "grinding their teeth," which is an animalistic expression of fanatical rage and hatred. The mob that stoned Stephen did this (Acts 7:54).

"He seeth that his day is coming" (Psalms 37:13). "`His day,’ here is the judgment day." Although the Old Testament does not have nearly as much teaching about the Judgment Day as the New Testament, yet the conception is locked into every page of it, There were many false ideas about the Judgment Day, which Amos attempted to correct in his famous description of it (Amos 5:18-20).

The ultimate defeat and overthrow of the wicked envisioned here is not something in which God would intervene and accomplish, but an overthrow already on the way. God "sees it coming" and merely laughs at the futile devices of the wicked.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 37:12. Plotteth and gnasheth are used to indicate the intensity of evil men in their designs against good men.

Psalms 37:13. The Lord is never frivolous, but to laugh means to look with belittling on the plots of wicked men. God is able to see the end of such a wicked career.

Psalms 37:14. The sword and bow were used as weapons of war, but the wicked men used them as instruments of cruelty against the helpless. Upright conversation means righteous conduct. An evil man would want to "get even" with a righteous one and could do so only by slaying him.

Psalms 37:15. The thought in this verse is that evil workers will fail in their plans in the end. Their weapons will be destroyed or be turned against themselves. This will again remind us of the lesson about the pit and gallows. (Proverbs 26:27; Esther 7:10.) The same idea is expressed by saying, "Evil works its own rebuke."

Verses 16-22

Psa 37:16-22

Psalms 37:16-22

THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED CONTRASTED

"Better is a little that the righteous hath

Than the abundance of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken;

But Jehovah upholdeth the righteous.

Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect;

And the days of their inheritance shall be forever.

They shall not be put to shame in the time of evil;

And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish,

And the enemies of Jehovah shall be as the fat of lambs.

They shall consume; in smoke shall they consume away.

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again;

But the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.

For such as are blessed of him shall inherit the land;

And they that are cursed of him shall be cut off."

As Ash noted, "Throughout the remainder of this psalm, either the righteous or the wicked are mentioned in practically every verse.”

"Better than the abundance of the wicked" (Psalms 37:16). As Spurgeon noted, "For a wicked heart, the whole world is not enough.” The greed, envy, and covetousness that eat like a cancer in the heart of the wicked are insatiable, while the child of God learns with the apostles that "godliness with contentment" is great gain.

"The enemies of Jehovah shall be as the fat of lambs" (Psalms 37:20). We are certain that the RSV rendition of this place is erroneous. It reads, "The enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures." (1) "The Hebrew word here commonly and properly means `lamb’; but it also may mean the meadow or pasture where lambs feed." This is another instance in which translators deliberately choose the least appropriate meaning in a situation of multiple choices. The fact that the common and ordinary meaning of the word here is `lamb’ strongly favors the American Standard Version rendition.

(2) But that is not all. The genius of Hebrew poetry has the advantage of repeating the meaning in the next line; and here that settles the matter. The reason why God’s enemies are like the fat of lambs is that they shall eventually be burned up, just like the fat of the sacrifices was always burned (See Exodus 29:13-25). Notice how that thought is echoed in the next clause: "They shall consume; in smoke shall they consume away"!

What are the grounds, then, upon which the RSV rejected the ancient versions and came up with their recent change? It is here stated by Rawlinson:

"Both translations are tenable; but the RSV is preferable, since the consumption of the fat of lambs upon the altar is connected with the idea, not of rejection, but of acceptance.”

To us this excuse is absolutely untenable as any adequate explanation of the RSV error. Some of the scholars try to make the new translation fit, by pointing out that sometimes pastures had to be burned off; and that, of course, would harmonize with the `smoke’ in the second clause; but lambs do not feed in a pasture that is being `burned off.’ Furthermore, the new rendition speaks of "the glory of the pastures"; and where do they get that?

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 37:16. His little is better for two reasons. He obtained it by the proper means, and a righteous man will appreciate what he has and make proper use of it.

Psalms 37:17. Arms is from an original that has a figurative as well as literal definition. It is here used in the first sense and means "force." The forces of the wicked will finally be brought to naught.

Psalms 37:18. Lord knoweth is used in the sense of approval. Inheritance means the reward that the upright man will receive from the Lord, never to fade away.

Psalms 37:19. Not be ashamed means they will not be confused or disappointed in times of distress. The Lord will remember them and supply their needs.

Psalms 37:20. The fat of lambs is used as a sacrifice to God. The wicked will not be literally burned up as the fat is done, but they will be consigned to the wrath of God and their evil works shall utterly perish.

Psalms 37:21. Two opposite kinds of conduct are described in this verse, and the characteristic of the one emphasizes that of the other. If the wicked man should repay what he had borrowed it would be only what strict justice would require. The righteous man goes farther than the demands of justice. He shows mercy by giving to the needy who would not be able to repay. (See Luke 14:12-14.)

Psalms 37:22. Blessed of him means blessed by the Lord. Those who are righteous come under this benefit and shall inherit the earth. For explanation of this phrase see comments at Psalms 37:9.

Verses 23-28

Psa 37:23-28

Psalms 37:23-28

BLESSINGS ENJOYED BY THE RIGHTEOUS

"A man’s goings are established of Jehovah;

And he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;

For Jehovah upholdeth him with his hand.

I have been young, and now I am old;

Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,

Nor his seed begging bread.

All day long he dealeth graciously and lendeth;

And his seed is blessed.

Depart from evil, and do good;

And dwell forevermore.

For Jehovah loveth justice,

And forsaketh not his saints;

They are preserved forever:

But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off."

"Though he fall ... not utterly cast down" (Psalms 37:24). Several of the lines here are echoed in the words of the apostle Paul who wrote: "Perplexed, yet not unto despair, pursued yet nor forsaken, smitten down, yet not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:9). Also, "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing, yet possessing all things" (2 Corinthians 6:10).

"I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalms 37:25). The appearance of this personal testimony by David right in the heart of this psalm is quite unusual. In fact, Yates referred to it as "unique.” Whether or not David intended this to be understood as an invariable law of God or not may be open to question; but many have accepted it as a valid promise, as did my own father. Also, Dr. DeHoff wrote; "I have traveled in many lands, and my own observation matches that of David.”

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 37:23. Good is not in the original and should not be in the translation. The predestinarians teach that if a man is good it is because God decreed it that way before he was born, and that his own choice had nothing to do with it. They claim this verse teaches that theory. But God has ordered or pointed out the steps he wishes all men to take and has left it to them to make the choice or decision as to whether they will walk in that way. If they do, then they become good men. David understood this subject, for in ch. 119:133 he states that the steps are ordered through the word of God. When a man walks in the steps advised in the Word the Lord delighteth in his way according to the statement of the verse.

Psalms 37:24. If a good man falls it will be through the human weakness and not any fault of the way ordered by the Lord. In that case he will be lifted up by the divine help. This is like the doctrine in 1 John 1:7. It is not the man who never makes a mistake who will be saved, for there is no such a man. But the man who gets right up and "tries again" is the one whom the Lord will help.

Psalms 37:25. Critics have tried to array this verse against the facts of life and against other parts of the Bible, but it is a strained application of the passage. Almost any rule has some exceptions, and the exception really emphasizes the rule. It should be noticed that the righteous were not forsaken, which is a stronger word than saying they had never been reduced or inconvenienced. A good man may have to endure some hardships, but the Lord will take care of him in the end. There is another thought that is overlooked. David did not profess to have seen everything that ever took place, he was only telling what he had not seen. We should be careful not to make a statement of scripture mean more than the writer intended.

Psalms 37:26. This verse will shed some light on the preceding one. That same righteous .man is said to be lending to the less fortunate. To do that he would need to have more than his own life required, which indicates financial success. That would justify a reflection on the other verse, that the righteous man considered was the industrious one. Such a person would logically not need to go begging for bread when he had enough and to spare, so that he could supply the needs of others. In this connection the student should read Matthew 6:33.

Psalms 37:27. Forever means to the end of the age, and it is applied here to the span of life usually allotted to man. If he will follow the laws of God, to depart from evil and do good, he will have the assurance of the best things of life.

Psalms 37:28. Judgment means justice or the rights belonging to upright persons. The saints of the Lord deserve his attention, and since He loves justice he will see that his people receive it. Preserved forever. They may suffer death at the hands of enemies, but their soul can no man touch to destroy; God will preserve it forever. Seed is used in the sense of fruit or product, and that which was brought about by the wicked shall be destroyed when the final lot of all actions is manifested.

Verses 29-34

Psa 37:29-34

Psalms 37:29-34

FURTHER MARKS OF THE RIGHTEOUS

"The righteous shall inherit the land,

And dwell therein forever.

The mouth of the righteous talketh of wisdom,

And his tongue speaketh justice.

The law of his God is in his heart;

None of his steps shall slide.

The wicked watcheth the righteous,

And seeketh to slay him.

Jehovah will not leave him in his hand,

Nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way,

And he will exalt thee to inherit the land:

When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it."

"The righteous shall inherit the land" (Psalms 37:29). Rawlinson pointed out that this same thought, or its equivalent appears in Psalms 37:3; Psalms 37:9; Psalms 37:11; Psalms 37:18; Psalms 37:22; Psalms 37:28; Psalms 37:34.

"The wicked watcheth the righteous to slay him" (Psalms 37:32)

"... When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it" (Psalms 37:34). We like Yates’ comment on this: "Here are contrasts of retribution. Whereas the wicked now watch for an opportunity to trap the righteous, in the future, the righteous will have their chance to watch. The end of the upright is peace, but the end of the wicked is destruction.”

"Nor condemn him when he is judged" (Psalms 37:33). This is God’s promise to the effect that human judgments against the righteous are of no account. God is the final arbiter of what is right and wrong; and he will execute justice upon behalf of his people.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 37:29. This verse is to be understood in the same sense as Psalms 37:27.

Psalms 37:30. Righteousness will not give intelligence to a man whom nature has denied. But such a man will speak the wisdom that God gives him in his Word.

Psalms 37:31. This verse confirms the comment made in the preceding one. Such a man will not slide or slip out of the way.

Psalms 37:32. In times when physical persecutions were tolerated by the government this verse would have a literal application. Otherwise it would refer to the moral and spiritual destruction that could be brought upon the righteous. That is why Christians are warned to be on their guard. (1 Peter 5:8.)

Psalms 37:33. Him, refers to the righteous man of the preceding verse and his means the wicked. A righteous man may have to suffer some hardships, but when he is judged or put to the test God will deliver him.

Psalms 37:34. Wait on the Lord means to trust him and look to him for all needed help. In order to have the right to such favors, however, one must keep his way which means to do the way the Lord wishes him to. Inherit the land is explained at v. 9. When that blessing comes to the righteous they will realize that the wicked are cut off or denied such favors.

Verses 35-40

Psa 37:35-40

Psalms 37:35-40

FINAL CONTRAST OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED

"I have seen the wicked in great power,

And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

But one passed by, and, lo, he was not:

Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright;

For there is a happy end to the man of peace,

As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together:

The end of the wicked shall be cut off.

But the salvation of the righteous is of Jehovah:

He is their stronghold in the time of trouble..

But Jehovah helpeth them and rescueth them:

He rescueth them from the wicked, and saveth them,

Because they have taken refuge in him."

The history of mankind is loaded with one "big bad wolf" after another; but where are they now? No wicked man, who by definition is on a collision course with disaster, due to his rebellion against God, can rightfully anticipate anything else, other than destruction. It is only a matter of time, and not very much time at that, until someone may say, "I sought him, but he could not be found."

Mark the perfect man (Psalms 37:37). Here again, we are aided in determining the meaning of `perfect.’ It is explained in the next clause, "Behold the upright." Every saint of God is perfect in relation to the wicked among whom he lives. "In this respect, it is said of Noah that, "He was a perfect man in his generation.”

On Psalms 37:37-40, McCaw pointed out that, "All transgressors are to be destroyed; there is no possible future for any wicked man. But let everyone take note of what happens to the man who is upright and godly; there is indeed a future for him, and for his posterity.”

"The end of the wicked shall be cut off" (Psalms 37:38). This means that "The posterity of the wicked shall also be cut off.”

According to Maclaren, this naturally forms the end of this psalm right here, "But the poet will not leave the stern words of destruction as his last. Therefore, he adds a sweet, long, drawn-out close, like the calm extended clouds, that lie motionless in the western sky after a day of storm.”

"Jehovah helpeth ... rescueth ... saveth ... because they have taken refuge in him" (Psalms 37:39-40). How glorious are the promises of the Lord to them who love him!

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 37:35. Bay is from an original that means "native," and green means a new plant that had sprung up and made a big showing at first because it did not have the "shock" of transplanting. The wicked man was compared to this tree on account of his threatening boasts of power, thinking to make others come and cower under him. The word power is from ARIYTS and Strong defines it, "fearful, i.e. powerful or tyrannical." In the Authorized Version it is rendered mighty 1 time, oppressor 3, terrible 13.

Psalms 37:36. This verse is a comment on the preceding one. A tree that is making a big showing because of special advantages will likely soon die. It is the same with the boastful man in his wickedness and terrorizing over others. Such a character is doomed to final defeat.

Psalms 37:37. Mark and behold were David’s words for calling attention to the good man. It is significant that peace was to come to that man in the end. He might have many trials in course of his journey but when the "last mile of the way" has been traveled he will have peace. The "end of a perfect day" is not as important as the perfect end of a day. Paul taught this idea in Acts 20:24.

Psalms 37:38. End of the wicked means the wicked shall be cut off in the end. It is the opposite of the lot of the righteous that was described in the preceding verse.

Psalms 37:39. The final success of the righteous is accounted for by the fact that his salvation is of the Lord. The weakest man who is righteous will win out over the wicked, for the strength of the Lord will hold him up.

Psalms 37:40. God will not save the righteous on the basis of their merit or because they have "earned" it. It will be in reward for their trust in Him.