Psalm 37:23-33

23 ¹The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He ²delights in his way.

24 When ³he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because ⁴the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

25 I have been young and now I am old, Yet ⁵I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or ⁶his descendants begging bread.

26 All day long ⁷he is gracious and lends, And ⁸his descendants are a blessing.

27 ⁹Depart from evil and do good, So you will abide ¹⁰forever.

28 For the LORD ¹¹loves justice And ¹²does not forsake His godly ones; They are ¹³preserved forever, But the ¹⁴descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

29 The righteous will ¹⁵inherit the land And ¹⁶dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous ¹⁷utters wisdom, And his tongue ¹⁸speaks justice.

31 The ¹⁹law of his God is in his heart; His ²⁰steps do not slip.

32 The ²¹wicked spies upon the righteous And ²²seeks to kill him.

33 The LORD will ²³not leave him in his hand Or ²⁴let him be condemned when he is judged.

Psalm 37:23-33 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. 1 Samuel 2:9; Psalms 40:2; Psalms 66:9; Psalms 119:5
• 2. Psalms 147:11
• 3. Psalms 145:14; Proverbs 24:16; Micah 7:8
• 4. Psalms 147:6
• 5. Psalms 37:28; Isaiah 41:17; Hebrews 13:5
• 6. Psalms 109:10
• 7. Deuteronomy 15:8; Psalms 37:21
• 8. Psalms 147:13
• 9. Psalms 34:14
• 10. Psalms 37:18; Psalms 102:28
• 11. Psalms 11:7; Psalms 33:5
• 12. Psalms 37:25
• 13. Psalms 31:23
• 14. Psalms 21:10; Psalms 37:9; Proverbs 2:22; Isaiah 14:20
• 15. Psalms 37:9; Proverbs 2:21
• 16. Psalms 37:18
• 17. Psalms 49:3; Proverbs 10:13
• 18. Psalms 101:1; Psalms 119:13
• 19. Deuteronomy 6:6; Psalms 40:8; Psalms 119:11; Isaiah 51:7; Jeremiah 31:33
• 20. Psalms 26:1; Psalms 37:23
• 21. Psalms 10:8; Psalms 17:11
• 22. Psalms 37:14
• 23. Psalms 31:8; 2 Peter 2:9
• 24. Psalms 34:22; Psalms 109:31

Footnotes

• [a] Or "who sustains him with His hand"
• [b] Lit "seed"
• [c] Lit "seed"
• [d] Or "And dwell forever"
• [e] Lit "judgment"
• [f] Lit "seed"