Psalm 37:20-30

20 But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like ¹the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like ²smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous ³is generous and gives;

22 for those blessed by the Lord^[a] shall ⁴inherit the land, but those cursed by him ⁵shall be cut off.

23 The ⁶steps of a man are ⁷established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;

24 ⁸though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord ⁹upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children ¹⁰begging for bread.

26 He is ever ¹¹lending generously, and his children become a blessing.

27 ¹²Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you ¹³dwell forever.

28 For the Lord ¹⁴loves justice; he will not forsake his ¹⁵saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be ¹⁶cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land and ¹⁷dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

Psalm 37:20-30 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

• 1. 37:20 [Matt. 6:30; James 1:11]
• 2. 37:20 Ps. 68:2; 102:3; Hos. 13:3
• 3. 37:21 ver. 26
• 4. 37:22 See ver. 9
• 5. 37:22 ver. 2
• 6. 37:23 Ps. 25:12; 1 Sam. 2:9
• 7. 37:23 Ps. 40:2; 119:5
• 8. 37:24 Prov. 24:16; Mic. 7:8; 2 Cor. 4:9
• 9. 37:24 ver. 17
• 10. 37:25 [Ps. 109:10; Job 15:23]
• 11. 37:26 Ps. 112:5, 9; Deut. 15:8, 10; Matt. 5:42; Luke 6:35
• 12. 37:27 See Ps. 34:14
• 13. 37:27 [Ps. 102:28]
• 14. 37:28 See Ps. 11:7
• 15. 37:28 See Ps. 16:10
• 16. 37:28 ver. 2, 9; Ps. 21:10; Prov. 2:22; Isa. 14:20
• 17. 37:29 [See ver. 27 above]

Footnotes

• [a] 37:22 Hebrew 'by him'