Psalms 37:9

9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Psalms 37:9 in Other Translations

KJV
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
ESV
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
NLT
9 For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.
MSG
9 Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; God-investors will soon own the store.
CSB
9 For evildoers will be destroyed, but those who put their hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

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 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.

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Psalms 31:22; Psalms 101:8; Psalms 118:10; Proverbs 2:22
  • 2. Isaiah 25:9; Isaiah 26:8; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 51:5
  • 3. ver 22; Psalms 25:13; Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 57:13; Isaiah 60:21; Matthew 5:5
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