Psalms 37:17

17 For the wicked are moral weaklings but the righteous are God-strong.

Psalms 37:17 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 37:17

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken
That is, their sword arm, with which they have drawn it; and so shall not be able to strike with it; and with which they have bent their bows, but shall not be able to shoot: and this proves, what is before suggested, that their efforts shall be fruitless; or their substance shall be taken away from them, in which they trusted, and wherein their strength lay; and this confirms what had been just spoken, that the righteous man's little is better than the wicked man's much; and which is further confirmed by what follows;

but the Lord upholdeth the righteous;
both in a providential way, by supporting them in their being, supplying their need, preserving them from dangers, and bearing them up under all their afflictions; and in a spiritual way, by maintaining the principle of grace and life in them, by furnishing them with all spiritual blessings, by sustaining them in times of temptation, and by securing them safe from their enemies; upholding them so as that they stand in the grace of God now, and shall stand before Christ with confidence hereafter; and shall not fall here finally and totally, nor in the day of judgment. The Targum is, "the Word of the Lord upholdeth the righteous".

Psalms 37:17 In-Context

15 A banana peel lands them flat on their faces - slapstick figures in a moral circus.
16 Less is more and more is less. One righteous will outclass fifty wicked,
17 For the wicked are moral weaklings but the righteous are God-strong.
18 God keeps track of the decent folk; what they do won't soon be forgotten.
19 In hard times, they'll hold their heads high; when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.