Psalms 37:1-26

Of David.

1 [a]Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
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;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18 The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.
23 The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.[b]

Images for Psalms 37:1-26

Psalms 37:1-26 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 50

  • 1. Proverbs 3:31; Proverbs 23:17-18
  • 2. Psalms 73:3; Proverbs 24:19
  • 3. S 2 Kings 19:26; Job 14:2; Psalms 102:4; Isaiah 40:7
  • 4. ver 38; Psalms 90:6; Psalms 92:7; James 1:10
  • 5. Deuteronomy 30:20
  • 6. Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:14; John 10:9
  • 7. S Job 27:10; Isaiah 58:14
  • 8. S Job 7:6; Psalms 21:2; Psalms 145:19; Matthew 6:33
  • 9. Psalms 4:5; Psalms 55:22; Proverbs 16:3; 1 Peter 5:7
  • 10. Psalms 18:24; Psalms 103:17; Psalms 112:3; Micah 7:9
  • 11. S Job 11:17
  • 12. S Exodus 14:14; S Isaiah 41:1; Psalms 62:5; Lamentations 3:26
  • 13. S Psalms 27:14; Psalms 40:1; Psalms 130:5; Isaiah 38:13; Habakkuk 3:16; Romans 8:25
  • 14. ver 1
  • 15. Jeremiah 12:1
  • 16. Psalms 21:11; Psalms 26:10; Psalms 119:150
  • 17. Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8
  • 18. ver 1
  • 19. S Psalms 31:22; Psalms 101:8; Psalms 118:10; Proverbs 2:22
  • 20. Isaiah 25:9; Isaiah 26:8; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 51:5
  • 21. ver 22; Psalms 25:13; Isaiah 49:8; Isaiah 57:13; Isaiah 60:21; Matthew 5:5
  • 22. S Job 7:10; Job 24:24; Ezekiel 27:36
  • 23. S Numbers 14:24; Matthew 5:5
  • 24. S Leviticus 26:6; S Numbers 6:26
  • 25. Psalms 2:1; Psalms 31:13
  • 26. S Job 16:9; Psalms 35:16; Psalms 112:10
  • 27. 1 Samuel 26:10; Psalms 2:4; Ezekiel 12:23
  • 28. S Psalms 22:20
  • 29. Psalms 11:2
  • 30. S Psalms 35:10
  • 31. S Psalms 9:16
  • 32. S 1 Samuel 2:4; Psalms 46:9; Jeremiah 49:35
  • 33. Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 16:8
  • 34. Job 38:15; Psalms 10:15
  • 35. Psalms 41:12; Psalms 140:12; Psalms 145:14; Psalms 146:7
  • 36. S Job 23:10; Psalms 44:21; Psalms 1:6
  • 37. ver 27,29
  • 38. S Psalms 34:21
  • 39. Psalms 68:2; Psalms 102:3; Isaiah 51:6
  • 40. S Leviticus 25:35; Psalms 112:5
  • 41. S Job 5:3; Proverbs 3:33
  • 42. ver 9
  • 43. S Numbers 14:8; Psalms 147:11
  • 44. S Job 11:15; S Psalms 7:9; Psalms 66:9; 1 Samuel 2:9
  • 45. S Psalms 13:4; Psalms 27:2; Psalms 38:17; Psalms 55:22; Psalms 119:165; Proverbs 3:23; Proverbs 10:9; Proverbs 24:16
  • 46. 2 Chronicles 9:8; Psalms 41:12; Psalms 145:14; Psalms 147:6
  • 47. ver 28; S Genesis 15:1; Hebrews 13:5
  • 48. Psalms 111:5; Psalms 145:15; Mark 10:46
  • 49. S Leviticus 25:35
  • 50. Deuteronomy 28:4; Psalms 112:2; Psalms 147:13

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  • [b]. Or "freely;" / "the names of their children will be used in blessings" (see Gen. 48:20); or "freely;" / "others will see that their children are blessed"
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