Psalms 37:3-16

3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;

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Psalms 37:3-16 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.

Cross References 29

  • 1. Deuteronomy 30:20
  • 2. Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:14; John 10:9
  • 3. S Job 27:10; Isaiah 58:14
  • 4. S Job 7:6; Psalms 21:2; Psalms 145:19; Matthew 6:33
  • 5. Psalms 4:5; Psalms 55:22; Proverbs 16:3; 1 Peter 5:7
  • 6. Psalms 18:24; Psalms 103:17; Psalms 112:3; Micah 7:9
  • 7. S Job 11:17
  • 8. S Exodus 14:14; S Isaiah 41:1; Psalms 62:5; Lamentations 3:26
  • 9. S Psalms 27:14; Psalms 40:1; Psalms 130:5; Isaiah 38:13; Habakkuk 3:16; Romans 8:25
  • 10. ver 1
  • 11. Jeremiah 12:1
  • 12. Psalms 21:11; Psalms 26:10; Psalms 119:150
  • 13. Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8
  • 14. ver 1
  • 15. S Psalms 31:22; Psalms 101:8; Psalms 118:10; Proverbs 2:22
  • 16. Isaiah 25:9; Isaiah 26:8; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 51:5
  • 17. ver 22; Psalms 25:13; Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 57:13; Isaiah 60:21; Matthew 5:5
  • 18. S Job 7:10; Job 24:24; Ezekiel 27:36
  • 19. S Numbers 14:24; Matthew 5:5
  • 20. S Leviticus 26:6; S Numbers 6:26
  • 21. Psalms 2:1; Psalms 31:13
  • 22. S Job 16:9; Psalms 35:16; Psalms 112:10
  • 23. 1 Samuel 26:10; Psalms 2:4; Ezekiel 12:23
  • 24. S Psalms 22:20
  • 25. Psalms 11:2
  • 26. S Psalms 35:10
  • 27. S Psalms 9:16
  • 28. S 1 Samuel 2:4; Psalms 46:9; Jeremiah 49:35
  • 29. Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 16:8
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