Psalms 37:3

3 Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely.^[a]

Psalms 37:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 37:3

Trust in the Lord
Not in men, who are fading and perishing like the green grass and tender herb; nor in riches, which are very uncertain things; but in the Lord, in whom is everlasting strength; and with whom are riches and honour, yea, durable riches and righteousness; trust in him both for things temporal and spiritual, for soul and body, for time and eternity; the way to have peace and quietness of mind under all dispensations is to exercise faith on a promising God. The Targum is, "trust in the Word of the Lord", in the essential Word of God, the promised Messiah;

and do good;
in general, all good actions, in faith, and as the fruits and effects of it, without trusting to them, but in the Lord; doing them in his strength, and with a view to his glory; or in particular, acts of beneficence to the poor, to which the encouragement follows;

[so] shalt thou dwell in the land;
either in the land of Canaan, a continuance in which depended upon the obedience of the people of the Jews to the commands of God; see ( Isaiah 1:19 ) ( Ephesians 6:1 Ephesians 6:2 ) ; or rather in the good land which is afar off, the heavenly and better country, which those that trust in the Lord, and have that faith in Christ which works by love, shall dwell in to all eternity;

and verily thou shalt be fed;
either temporally, shall have food and raiment, even all the necessaries of life; or spiritually, with the word and ordinances, and with Christ the bread of life now; and hereafter shall be fed by him, the Lamb in the midst of the throne, and by him led to fountains of living water: some read the words as an exhortation, and render them, "feed truth" ^F11, that is, teach it, as Abraham taught his household, and as faithful pastors feed with knowledge and understanding; or "feed by faith" ^F12, as the just live by it; or, as the Targum renders it, "be strong in faith", as Abraham was, ( Romans 4:20 ) ; or rather, "feed upon truth" ^F13, the word of truth, the Gospel of salvation, and the several truths and doctrines of it, which are food for faith, and nourish up to everlasting life.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (hnwma her) "pasce veritatem", Pagninus, Montanus.
F12 "Pascere fide", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius.
F13 "Pasce te veritate", Gejerus; "ut alimentum tuum", Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 942. "feed on faith", Ainsworth.

Psalms 37:3 In-Context

1 Do not be agitated by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong.

2 For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender green plants.

3 Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely.

4 Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires.

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act,

Footnotes

• [a]. Or and cultivate faithfulness