Psalms 37:8

8 (36-8) Cease from anger, and leave rage; have no emulation to do evil.

Psalms 37:8 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 37:8

Cease from anger
Either at these wicked men who are so prosperous, or at God, who for the present suffers it; see ( Jonah 4:9 ) ( Proverbs 19:3 ) ;

and forsake wrath;
which is anger wrought up to a greater degree; and the rather to be shunned and avoided, as being very disagreeable to the character of a good man;

fret not thyself in any wise to do evil;
evil may be done by fretting at the prosperity of wicked men, or by imitating them, doing as they do, in hope of being prosperous as they are; from which the psalmist dissuades by reasons following.

Psalms 37:8 In-Context

6 (36-6) And he will bring forth thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

7 (36-7) Be subject to the Lord and pray to him. Envy not the man who prospereth in his way; the man who doth unjust things.

8 (36-8) Cease from anger, and leave rage; have no emulation to do evil.

9 (36-9) For evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the land.

10 (36-10) For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.