Psalms 37:21-33

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous ¹is generous and gives;

22 for those blessed by the LORD ^[a] shall ²inherit the land, but those cursed by him ³shall be cut off.

23 The ⁴steps of a man are ⁵established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;

24 ⁶though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD ⁷upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children ⁸begging for bread.

26 He is ever ⁹lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

27 ¹⁰Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you ¹¹dwell forever.

28 For the LORD ¹²loves justice; he will not forsake his ¹³saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be ¹⁴cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land and ¹⁵dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

31 ¹⁶The law of his God is in his heart; his ¹⁷steps do not slip.

32 The wicked ¹⁸watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.

33 The LORD will not ¹⁹abandon him to his power or let him ²⁰be condemned when he is brought to trial.

Read Chapter Compare

Images for Psalms 37:21-33

Psalms 37:21-33 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 20

1. ver. 26
2. See ver. 9
3. ver. 2
4. Psalms 25:12; 1 Samuel 2:9
5. Psalms 40:2; Psalms 119:5
6. Proverbs 24:16; Micah 7:8; 2 Corinthians 4:9
7. ver. 17
8. [Psalms 109:10; Job 15:23]
9. Psalms 112:5, 9; Deuteronomy 15:8, 10; Matthew 5:42; Luke 6:35
10. See Psalms 34:14
11. [Psalms 102:28]
12. See Psalms 11:7
13. See Psalms 16:10
14. ver. 2, 9; Psalms 21:10; Proverbs 2:22; Isaiah 14:20
15. [See ver. 27 above]
16. Psalms 40:8; Psalms 119:11; Deuteronomy 6:6; Isaiah 51:7; Jeremiah 31:33; [Romans 7:22]
17. [Psalms 73:2]
18. Psalms 10:8
19. [2 Peter 2:9]
20. Psalms 109:31

Footnotes 1

[a]. Hebrew by him

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.