Psalms 37:9

9 Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; God-investors will soon own the store.

Psalms 37:9 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 37:9

For evildoers shall be cut off
Though they flourish for a while, they shall be cut down like the grass or flower of the field, or they shall be cut off as branches from a flourishing tree; they shall be cut off from the earth, and rooted out of it by death or some desolating judgment; see ( Proverbs 2:22 ) ; and therefore not to be envied and fretted at;

but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth;
such who attend his word, worship, and ordinances; obey his commands, trust in his grace and mercy; or, as the Targum, "trust in the word of the Lord"; who wait upon him for the manifestations of himself, for the performance of his promises, for answer of prayer, for supplies of grace, and live in the expectation of the heavenly glory; these shall have for their inheritance, not the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, which the obedient Jews enjoyed; but either this world and the necessaries of it, which such persons have the promise of, a right unto through Christ, are heirs of, and do enjoy what they do with a blessing; or else the new earth after this, in which only righteous ones, those that wait upon the Lord, and trust in him, will dwell; unless the heavenly country, the good land afar off, is meant, often called an inheritance.

Psalms 37:9 In-Context

7 Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.
8 Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes - it only makes things worse.
9 Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; God-investors will soon own the store.
10 Before you know it, the wicked will have had it; you'll stare at his once famous place and - nothing!
11 Down-to-earth people will move in and take over, relishing a huge bonanza.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.