Psalms 37:27-40

27 Turn away from evil and do good, and your descendants will always live in the land;

28 for the Lord loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people. He protects them forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.

29 The righteous will possess the land and live in it forever.

30 The words of good people are wise, and they are always fair.

31 They keep the law of their God in their hearts and never depart from it.

32 Wicked people watch good people and try to kill them;

33 but the Lord will not abandon them to their enemy's power or let them be condemned when they are on trial.

34 Put your hope in the Lord and obey his commands; he will honor you by giving you the land, and you will see the wicked driven out.

35 I once knew someone wicked who was a tyrant; he towered over everyone like a cedar of Lebanon;

36 but later I passed by, and he wasn't there; I looked for him, but couldn't find him.

37 Notice good people, observe the righteous; peaceful people have descendants,

38 but sinners are completely destroyed, and their descendants are wiped out.

39 The Lord saves the righteous and protects them in times of trouble.

40 He helps them and rescues them; he saves them from the wicked, because they go to him for protection.

Psalms 37:27-40 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. [One ancient translation] like a cedar of Lebanon; [Hebrew unclear.]
• [b]. [Some ancient translations] I; [Hebrew] he.