A psalm of David
37
📚Do not fret because of evildoers,
or be envious of those who do
wicked things.
37:1 This psalm is another gem. David wrote it in old age (v 25). It is full of wonderful spiritual counsel to those who are troubled by the prosperity and success of the wicked. But like all such counsel it is only of use if followed. The psalm has eight exhortations or instructions when considering the prosperity of the wicked (vs 1,3,4,5,7,8,27,34), and at least a dozen great promises to go with them (vs 4,5,6,9,11,19,22,24,27,28,29,33,34,37,40).
The main object of this psalm is to encourage believers to have a calm, restful, peaceful, trusting heart no matter how difficult the circumstances. It is summed up in such sayings of the Lord Jesus as John 14:1; and 16:33. Many are troubled when the wicked prosper. Others envy them. We must learn to resist both attitudes (Ps 73:2-3; Prov 3:31; 23:17; 24:1, 19; Phil 4:6). Either of them can bring poison into our hearts.⚜
2 📚For they will soon be
cut down like the grass,
and wither like the green plant.
37:2 Why should we fret about or envy those who are ripening for destruction? (vs 10,20,35,36; Ps 73:17-20; 90:5-6; 92:7; Jam 1:11).⚜
3 📚Trust in the LORD,
and do good;
so dwell in the land,
and faithfully you will be fed.
37:3 The remedy for both fretting and envying is trust in God and being occupied in good works for Him. The “land” means Israel. God’s people were to remain there and not leave it because of difficulties.⚜
4 📚Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires
of your heart.
37:4 See Ps 21:2; 145:19. Those who delight in the LORD (Jehovah) will receive the desires of their hearts because the desires of their hearts will be in accordance with His will. They will want what He wants them to have. Many there are who delight in the things of the world and the flesh and then murmur against God because He does not answer their selfish or carnal prayers.⚜
5 📚Commit your way to the LORD
and trust in him,
and he will accomplish this.
6 📚He will bring forth
your righteousness
like the light,
and your just cause like
the noonday.
37:6 There is rest of heart in this verse for believers who are the victims of slander and lies. God will look after their reputation and they need not worry about it.⚜
7 📚Rest in the LORD and wait
patiently for him.
Do not fret 📖 because
of the one who
prospers in his way,
because of the man who
carries out wicked schemes.
8 📚Cease from anger
and forsake wrath.
Do not at all fret
and so do wrong.
37:7-8 God will act on the believer’s behalf at just the right time, in just the right way. The believer should not let the prosperity and success of the wicked trouble him. Getting agitated will lead believers to commit sin and accomplish no good whatever.⚜
9 📚For evildoers will be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD
will inherit the earth.
37:9 The Hebrew word for both land and the earth are the same. David probably meant that the righteous in Israel would inherit that land (vs 11,22,29). But Jesus promised that the meek would inherit the whole world (Matt 5:5).⚜
10 📚For yet a little while,
and the wicked will be
no more.
Yes, you will look diligently
for his place,
and it will not be.
11 📚But the meek will inherit
the earth and delight themselves
in the abundance of peace.
12 📚The wicked plots against the just
and gnashes at him with
his teeth.
37:12 Verses 14,32. The wicked hate the righteous simply because they are righteous. They need no other reason (John 15:19; 1 John 3:12).⚜
13 📚The Lord will laugh at him,
for he sees that his day is coming.
14 📚The wicked have drawn the sword
and bent their bow to bring down
the poor and needy,
and to kill those
who are of upright conduct.
37:14 If God and the laws of society did not restrain them, no doubt wicked people would try to kill all those who stood up for righteousness and truth.⚜
15 📚Their sword will enter their
own heart,
and their bows will be broken.
16 📚A little that a righteous man has is
better than the many riches
of the wicked.
37:16 Far, far better to have only a little and be honest than to have great abundance and be crooked. Better to starve and be a person of integrity than to feast and be wicked. Let us write this verse on the tablets of our hearts. See also Prov 15:16; 16:8; 1 Tim 6:6-8.⚜
17 📚For the arms of the wicked
will be broken,
but the LORD upholds
the righteous.
18 📚The LORD knows the days
of the upright,
and their inheritance will be forever.
37:18 Believers have an eternal inheritance, wonderful riches that will never pass away – 1 Cor 3:21-23; 2 Cor 4:17; Heb 9:15; 1 Pet 1:3-4. Should they, then, envy those who enjoy their riches for only a few passing years?⚜
19 📚They will not be put to shame
in the evil time,
and in the days of famine
they will have plenty.
20 📚But the wicked will perish,
and the enemies of the LORD
will be like the splendour
of the meadows 📖.
They will vanish, vanish away
into smoke.
21 📚The wicked borrows
and does not repay;
but the righteous shows mercy,
and gives.
22 📚For those who are blessed
by the LORD will inherit
the earth,
and those who are cursed
by him will be cut off.
23 📚The steps of a good man
are established by the LORD
who delights in his way.
24 📚Though he falls, he will not be
completely thrown down;
for the LORD upholds him
with his hand.
37:24 Prov 24:16. Those who are truly God’s people may stumble and fail. We cannot deny it. The Bible gives a great many examples of it – Gen 12:10-13; 13:10-11; 16:1-2; 26:6-10; 27:22-24; Ex 32:1-5; Num 20:8-12; Jud 16:1, 4; 2 Sam 11:1-27; 1 Kings 11:1-6; 2 Chron 16:10; 20:35; 26:4-5, 16; Matt 26:69-75; Gal 2:11-13; Jam 3:2. But because God will not let go of their hand, they will not utterly fall away and be lost – v 28; John 10:28-29.⚜
25 📚I have been young,
and am now old,
yet I have not seen the righteous
forsaken,
or his offspring begging bread.
26 📚He is always merciful
and lends,
and his offspring are blessed.
37:25-26 Sometimes some of the righteous seem to be forsaken (e.g. Job, David, Jeremiah). But they really are not. And they and their children as a general rule do not need to beg for their food. Often they will have enough to lend to others.⚜
27 📚Depart from evil,
and do good, and dwell forever.
37:27 In true religion there is both a negative and a positive aspect. Forsaking evil is not enough. Doing good is equally as important – Ps 34:14; Isa 1:16-17.⚜
28 📚For the LORD loves justice
and does not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever.
But the offspring of the wicked
will be cut off.
29 📚The righteous will inherit
the land,
and live in it forever.
30 📚The mouth of the righteous
speaks wisdom and his tongue
talks of justice.
31 📚The law of his God is
in his heart.
None of his steps will slip.
32 📚The wicked watches the righteous,
and seeks to kill him.
33 📚The LORD will not leave
the righteous in his hands,
or condemn him
when he is judged.
37:30-33 What a contrast!⚜
34 📚Wait for the LORD and
keep his way,
and he will exalt you
to inherit the land.
When the wicked are cut off,
you will see it.
37:34 The wheels of justice often seem to turn slowly, but they will certainly turn. We should make no mistake about it.⚜
35 📚I have seen the wicked
in great power,
and spreading himself like
a native green tree.
36 📚Yet he passed away,
and lo and behold,
he was no more;
yes, I looked for him,
but he could not be found.
37:35-36 Times without number history has proved the truth of this. Read the books of Kings and Chronicles and see.⚜
37 📚Consider the blameless man,
and see the upright;
for the future of that
man is peace.
38 📚But the transgressors will be
destroyed together;
the future of the wicked
will be cut off.
39 📚But the salvation 📖 of the righteous
is from the LORD.
He is their strength 📖
in the time of trouble.
40 📚And the LORD will help them,
and deliver them.
He will deliver them
from the wicked,
and save them, because
they trust in him.