Psalms 37

Security of Those Who Trust in the LORD, and Insecurity of the Wicked.

A Psalm of David.

1 ¹Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not ²envious toward wrongdoers.

2 For they will ³wither quickly like the grass And ⁴fade like the green herb.

3 ⁵Trust in the LORD and do good; ⁶Dwell in the land and ⁷cultivate faithfulness.

4 ⁸Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will ⁹give you the desires of your heart.

5 ¹⁰Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

6 He will bring forth ¹¹your righteousness as the light And your judgment ¹²as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD and ¹³wait patiently for Him; ¹⁴Do not fret because of him who ¹⁵prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

8 Cease from anger and ¹⁶forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

9 For ¹⁷evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will ¹⁸inherit the land.

10 Yet ¹⁹a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefully for ²⁰his place and he will not be there.

11 But ²¹the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in ²²abundant prosperity.

12 The wicked ²³plots against the righteous And ²⁴gnashes at him with his teeth.

13 The Lord ²⁵laughs at him, For He sees ²⁶his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn the sword and ²⁷bent their bow To cast down the ²⁸afflicted and the needy, To ²⁹slay those who are upright in conduct.

15 Their sword will enter their own heart, And their ³⁰bows will be broken.

16 ³¹Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked.

17 For the ³²arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD ³³sustains the righteous.

18 The LORD ³⁴knows the days of the blameless, And their ³⁵inheritance will be forever.

19 They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And ³⁶in the days of famine they will have abundance.

20 But the ³⁷wicked will perish; And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish -³⁸like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous ³⁹is gracious and gives.

22 For ⁴⁰those blessed by Him will ⁴¹inherit the land, But those ⁴²cursed by Him will be cut off.

23 ⁴³The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He ⁴⁴delights in his way.

24 When ⁴⁵he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because ⁴⁶the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

25 I have been young and now I am old, Yet ⁴⁷I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or ⁴⁸his descendants begging bread.

26 All day long ⁴⁹he is gracious and lends, And ⁵⁰his descendants are a blessing.

27 ⁵¹Depart from evil and do good, So you will abide ⁵²forever.

28 For the LORD ⁵³loves justice And ⁵⁴does not forsake His godly ones; They are ⁵⁵preserved forever, But the ⁵⁶descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

29 The righteous will ⁵⁷inherit the land And ⁵⁸dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous ⁵⁹utters wisdom, And his tongue ⁶⁰speaks justice.

31 The ⁶¹law of his God is in his heart; His ⁶²steps do not slip.

32 The ⁶³wicked spies upon the righteous And ⁶⁴seeks to kill him.

33 The LORD will ⁶⁵not leave him in his hand Or ⁶⁶let him be condemned when he is judged.

34 ⁶⁷Wait for the LORD and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land; When the ⁶⁸wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have ⁶⁹seen a wicked, violent man Spreading himself like a ⁷⁰luxuriant tree in its native soil.

36 Then he passed away, and lo, he ⁷¹was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the ⁷²blameless man, and behold the ⁷³upright; For the man of peace will have a ⁷⁴posterity.

38 But transgressors will be altogether ⁷⁵destroyed; The posterity of the wicked will be ⁷⁶cut off.

39 But the ⁷⁷salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength ⁷⁸in time of trouble.

40 ⁷⁹The LORD helps them and delivers them; He ⁸⁰delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they ⁸¹take refuge in Him.

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Psalms 37 Commentary

Chapter 37

David persuades to patience and confidence in God, by the state of the godly and of the wicked.

Verses 1-6 When we look abroad we see the world full of evil-doers, that flourish and live in ease. So it was seen of old, therefore let us not marvel at the matter. We are tempted to fret at this, to think them the only happy people, and so we are prone to do like them: but this we are warned against. Outward prosperity is fading. When we look forward, with an eye of faith, we shall see no reason to envy the wicked. Their weeping and wailing will be everlasting. The life of religion is a believing trust in the Lord, and diligent care to serve him according to his will. It is not trusting God, but tempting him, if we do not make conscience of our duty to him. A man's life consists not in abundance, but, Thou shalt have food convenient for thee. This is more than we deserve, and it is enough for one that is going to heaven. To delight in God is as much a privilege as a duty. He has not promised to gratify the appetites of the body, and the humours of the fancy, but the desires of the renewed, sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and serve God. Commit thy way unto the Lord; roll thy way upon the Lord, so the margin reads it. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, the burden of thy care. We must roll it off ourselves, not afflict and perplex ourselves with thoughts about future events, but refer them to God. By prayer spread thy case and all thy cares before the Lord, and trust in him. We must do our duty, and then leave the event with God. The promise is very sweet: He shall bring that to pass, whatever it is, which thou has committed to him.

Verses 7-20 Let us be satisfied that God will make all to work for good to us. Let us not discompose ourselves at what we see in this world. A fretful, discontented spirit is open to many temptations. For, in all respects, the little which is allotted to the righteous, is more comfortable and more profitable than the ill-gotten and abused riches of ungodly men. It comes from a hand of special love. God provides plentifully and well, not only for his working servants, but for his waiting servants. They have that which is better than wealth, peace of mind, peace with God, and then peace in God; that peace which the world cannot give, and which the world cannot have. God knows the believer's days. Not one day's work shall go unrewarded. Their time on earth is reckoned by days, which will soon be numbered; but heavenly happiness shall be for ever. This will be a real support to believers in evil times. Those that rest on the Rock of ages, have no reason to envy the wicked the support of their broken reeds.

Verses 21-33 The Lord our God requires that we do justly, and render to all their due. It is a great sin for those that are able, to deny the payment of just debts; it is a great misery not to be able to pay them. He that is truly merciful, will be ever merciful. We must leave our sins; learn to do well, and cleave to it. This is true religion. The blessing of God is the spring, sweetness, and security of all earthly enjoyments. And if we are sure of this, we are sure not to want any thing good for us in this world. By his grace and Holy Spirit, he directs the thoughts, affections, and designs of good men. By his providence he overrules events, so as to make their way plain. He does not always show them his way for a distance, but leads them step by step, as children are led. God will keep them from being ruined by their falls, either into sin or into trouble, though such as fall into sin will be sorely hurt. Few, if any, have known the consistent believer, or his children, reduced to abject, friendless want. God forsakes not his saints in affliction; and in heaven only the righteous shall dwell for ever; that will be their everlasting habitation. A good man may fall into the hands of a messenger of Satan, and be sorely buffeted, but God will not leave him in his enemy's hands.

Verses 34-40 Duty is ours, and we must mind it; but events are God's, we must refer the disposal of them to him. What a striking ( psalms 37:35-36 ) But God remarkably blights the projects of the prosperous wicked, especially persecutors. None are perfect in themselves, but believers are so in Christ Jesus. If all the saint's days continue dark and cloudy, his dying day may prove comfortable, and his sun set bright; or, if it should set under a cloud, yet his future state will be everlasting peace. The salvation of the righteous will be the Lord's doing. He will help them to do their duties, to bear their burdens; help them to bear their troubles well, and get good by them, and, in due time, will deliver them out of their troubles. Let sinners then depart from evil, and do good; repent of and forsake sin, and trust in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Let them take his yoke upon them, and learn of him, that they may dwell for evermore in heaven. Let us mark the closing scenes of different characters, and always depend on God's mercy.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Cross References 81

1. Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:19
2. Psalms 73:3; Proverbs 3:31
3. Job 14:2; Psalms 90:6; Psalms 92:7; James 1:11
4. Psalms 129:6
5. Psalms 62:8
6. Deuteronomy 30:20
7. Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:13, 14
8. Job 22:26; Psalms 94:19; Isaiah 58:14
9. Psalms 21:2; Psalms 145:19; Matthew 7:7, 8
10. Psalms 55:22; Proverbs 16:3; 1 Peter 5:7
11. Psalms 97:11; Isaiah 58:8, 10; Micah 7:9
12. Job 11:17
13. Psalms 40:1; Psalms 62:5; Lamentations 3:26
14. Psalms 37:1, 8
15. Jeremiah 12:1
16. Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8
17. Psalms 37:2, 22
18. Psalms 25:13; Proverbs 2:21; Isaiah 57:13; Isaiah 60:21; Matthew 5:5
19. Job 24:24
20. Job 7:10; Psalms 37:35, 36
21. Matthew 5:5
22. Psalms 72:7
23. Psalms 31:13, 20
24. Psalms 35:16
25. Psalms 2:4
26. 1 Samuel 26:10; Job 18:20
27. Psalms 11:2; Lamentations 2:4
28. Psalms 35:10; Psalms 86:1
29. Psalms 11:2
30. 1 Samuel 2:4; Psalms 46:9
31. Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 16:8
32. Job 38:15; Psalms 10:15; Ezekiel 30:21
33. Psalms 71:6; Psalms 145:14
34. Psalms 1:6; Psalms 31:7
35. Psalms 37:27, 29
36. Job 5:20; Psalms 33:19
37. Psalms 73:27
38. Psalms 68:2; Psalms 102:3
39. Psalms 112:5, 9
40. Proverbs 3:33
41. Psalms 37:9
42. Job 5:3
43. 1 Samuel 2:9; Psalms 40:2; Psalms 66:9; Psalms 119:5
44. Psalms 147:11
45. Psalms 145:14; Proverbs 24:16; Micah 7:8
46. Psalms 147:6
47. Psalms 37:28; Isaiah 41:17; Hebrews 13:5
48. Psalms 109:10
49. Deuteronomy 15:8; Psalms 37:21
50. Psalms 147:13
51. Psalms 34:14
52. Psalms 37:18; Psalms 102:28
53. Psalms 11:7; Psalms 33:5
54. Psalms 37:25
55. Psalms 31:23
56. Psalms 21:10; Psalms 37:9; Proverbs 2:22; Isaiah 14:20
57. Psalms 37:9; Proverbs 2:21
58. Psalms 37:18
59. Psalms 49:3; Proverbs 10:13
60. Psalms 101:1; Psalms 119:13
61. Deuteronomy 6:6; Psalms 40:8; Psalms 119:11; Isaiah 51:7; Jeremiah 31:33
62. Psalms 26:1; Psalms 37:23
63. Psalms 10:8; Psalms 17:11
64. Psalms 37:14
65. Psalms 31:8; 2 Peter 2:9
66. Psalms 34:22; Psalms 109:31
67. Psalms 27:14; Psalms 37:9
68. Psalms 52:5, 6; Psalms 91:8
69. Job 5:3; Jeremiah 12:2
70. Job 8:16
71. Job 20:5; Psalms 37:10
72. Psalms 37:18
73. Psalms 7:10
74. Isaiah 57:1, 2
75. Psalms 1:4-6; Psalms 37:20, 28
76. Psalms 37:9; Psalms 73:17
77. Psalms 3:8; Psalms 62:1
78. Psalms 9:9; Psalms 37:19
79. Psalms 54:4
80. Psalms 22:4; Isaiah 31:5; Daniel 3:17; Daniel 6:23
81. 1 Chronicles 5:20; Psalms 34:22

Footnotes 16

[a]. Or "feed securely" or "feed on His faithfulness"
[b]. Or "Be still"
[c]. Or "longingly"
[d]. Lit "complete;" or "perfect"
[e]. I.e. flowers
[f]. Or "who sustains him with His hand"
[g]. Lit "seed"
[h]. Lit "seed"
[i]. Or "And dwell forever"
[j]. Lit "judgment"
[k]. Lit "seed"
[l]. Lit "native;" Heb obscure
[m]. Ancient versions read "I passed by"
[n]. Lit "complete;" or "perfect"
[o]. Lit "an end"
[p]. Lit "end"

Chapter Summary

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible