Psalms 37:3-13

3 Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and be safe.

4 Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire.

5 Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you;

6 he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be patient and wait for the Lord to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans.

8 Don't give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble.

9 Those who trust in the Lord will possess the land, but the wicked will be driven out.

10 Soon the wicked will disappear; you may look for them, but you won't find them;

11 but the humble will possess the land ¹ and enjoy prosperity and peace.

12 The wicked plot against good people and glare at them with hate.

13 But the Lord laughs at wicked people, because he knows they will soon be destroyed.

Psalms 37:3-13 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. 37.11Matthew 5.5.