Psalms 37:1-9

1 ¹Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not ²envious of wrongdoers!

2 For they will soon ³fade like ⁴the grass and wither ⁵like the green herb.

3 ⁶Trust in the LORD, and do good; ⁷dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.^[a]

4 ⁸Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will ⁹give you the desires of your heart.

5 ¹⁰Commit your way to the LORD; ¹¹trust in him, and he will act.

6 ¹²He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as ¹³the noonday.

7 ¹⁴Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; ¹⁵fret not yourself over the one who ¹⁶prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 ¹⁷Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! ¹⁸Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

9 ¹⁹For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall ²⁰inherit the land.

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Psalms 37:1-9 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. 7, 8; Proverbs 24:19
2. Psalms 73:3; Proverbs 3:31; Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:1, 19
3. Job 14:2; See Job 27:13-23
4. Psalms 90:5, 6
5. Psalms 129:6
6. Psalms 62:8; Psalms 115:9-11; Proverbs 3:5; Isaiah 26:4
7. Leviticus 26:5; Proverbs 2:21
8. Job 22:26; Isaiah 58:14; [Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:4]
9. Matthew 6:33
10. Psalms 22:8; Psalms 55:22; Proverbs 16:3; 1 Peter 5:7
11. [See ver. 3 above]
12. Isaiah 58:8, 10; Micah 7:9
13. Job 11:17
14. [Psalms 62:1; Isaiah 30:15; Lamentations 3:26]
15. ver. 1
16. Jeremiah 12:1
17. [Ephesians 4:26]
18. [See ver. 7 above]
19. ver. 2, 22
20. Psalms 25:13; Proverbs 2:21; Isaiah 57:13; Isaiah 60:21

Footnotes 1

[a]. Or and feed on faithfulness, or and find safe pasture

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