查經資料大全

 

| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index |

 

Psalm Thirty-seven

 

Psalm 37 Outline of Contents

The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked (v.1~40)

New King James Version (NKJV)

A Psalm of David.

 

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 37

cf15I 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 writerF8Delaney's Life of King David vol. 2. p. 219. thinks it was written for Mephibosheth's consolation under Ziba's calumny.

 

Psalm 37:1  Do not fret because of evildoers Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
   YLT 
1By David. Do not fret because of evil doers Be not envious against doers of iniquity

Fret not thyself because of evildoers .... The saints may be grieved at them and for them because of their evil doings and may be angry with them for them; yet are not to show any undue warmth at least in an indecent way by calling them opprobrious names; for the words may be rendered "do not show thyself warm" or "angry"F9תתחר "ne accendaris ira" Junius & Tremellius; "ne exardescas" Gejerus Michaelis. : in a sinful way; or fret not at their outward prosperity as it is explained Psalm 37:7. The Targum adds "to be like them" which agrees with Psalm 37:8;

neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity; that is at their present temporal happiness; see Psalm 73:3. The Targum adds as before to be joined with them; which sense some parallel places seem to incline to Proverbs 3:31.

 

Psalm 37:2  2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass And wither as the green herb.

   YLT  2For as grass speedily they are cut off And as the greenness of the tender grass do fade.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb. Which in the morning looks green pretty and flourishing and in the evening is cut down and then fades away; see Psalm 90:5; and so the wicked prosper and flourish for a while and then they perish with all their honour riches and wealth; so that their happiness is a very short lived one and therefore need not be envied and fretted at.

 

Psalm 37:3  3 Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.
   YLT 
3Trust in Jehovah and do good Dwell [in] the land and enjoy faithfulness

Trust in the Lord .... Not in men who are fading and perishing like the green grass and tender herb; nor in riches which are very uncertain things; but in the Lord in whom is everlasting strength; and with whom are riches and honour yea durable riches and righteousness; trust in him both for things temporal and spiritual for soul and body for time and eternity; the way to have peace and quietness of mind under all dispensations is to exercise faith on a promising God. The Targum is "trust in the Word of the Lord" in the essential Word of God the promised Messiah;

and do good; in general all good actions in faith and as the fruits and effects of it without trusting to them but in the Lord; doing them in his strength and with a view to his glory; or in particular acts of beneficence to the poor to which the encouragement follows;

so shalt thou dwell in the land; either in the land of Canaan a continuance in which depended upon the obedience of the people of the Jews to the commands of God; see Isaiah 1:19; or rather in the good land which is afar off the heavenly and better country which those that trust in the Lord and have that faith in Christ which works by love shall dwell in to all eternity;

and verily thou shalt be fed; either temporally shall have food and raiment even all the necessaries of life; or spiritually with the word and ordinances and with Christ the bread of life now; and hereafter shall be fed by him the Lamb in the midst of the throne and by him led to fountains of living water: some read the words as an exhortation and render them "feed truth"F11רעה אמונה "pasce veritatem" Pagninus Montanus. that is teach it as Abraham taught his household and as faithful pastors feed with knowledge and understanding; or "feed by faith"F12"Pascere fide" Junius & Tremellius Cocceius. as the just live by it; or as the Targum renders it "be strong in faith" as Abraham was Romans 4:20; or rather "feed upon truth"F13"Pasce te veritate" Gejerus; "ut alimentum tuum" Gussetius Ebr. Comment. p. 942. "feed on faith" Ainsworth. the word of truth the Gospel of salvation and the several truths and doctrines of it which are food for faith and nourish up to everlasting life.

 

Psalm 37:4  4 Delight yourself also in the Lord And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

   YLT  4And delight thyself on Jehovah And He giveth to thee the petitions of thy heart.

Delight thyself also in the Lord .... In the persons in God Father Son and Spirit; in the perfections of God his power goodness faithfulness wisdom love grace and mercy; in his works of creation providence and redemption; in his word his Gospel the truths and ordinances of it; in his house and the worship of it; and in his people the excellent in the earth in whom was all the delight of the psalmist; and each of these afford a field of delight and pleasure to attend unto contemplate and meditate upon;

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart; such as are according to the will of God and for the good of his people; such as relate to communion with him and to the communication of more grace from him and to the enjoyment of eternal glory.

 

Psalm 37:5  5 Commit your way to the Lord Trust also in Him And He shall bring it to pass.
   YLT 
5Roll on Jehovah thy way And trust upon Him and He worketh

Commit thy way unto the Lord .... Or "thy works" as in Proverbs 16:3; that is all the affairs and business of life which are a man's ways in which he walks; not that men should sit still be inactive and do nothing and leave all to be done by the Lord; but should seek direction of God in everything engaged in and for strength and assistance to perform it and go on in it and depend upon him for success and give him all the glory without trusting to any thing done by them: or as some render the words "reveal thy way unto the Lord"F14גול αποκαλυψον Sept. "revela" V. L. Junius & Tremellius Piscator; so the Targum Cocceius Gejerus Michaelis. ; not that God is ignorant of the ways of men and of their affairs and of their wants and necessities but it is their duty to ask and it is his delight to hear; they may come and use freedom with him and tell him their whole case and leave it with him believing he will supply all their need: or as others render it "roll thy way on the Lord"F15"Devolve super Jehovam" Tigurine version. ; see Psalm 55:22; meaning not the burden of sin nor the weight of affliction but any affair of moment and importance that lies heavy upon the mind;

trust also in him; it is an ease to the mind to spread it before the Lord who sympathizes with his people supports them under and brings them through their difficulties;

and he shall bring it to pass; as he does whatever he has appointed and determined shall be and whatever he has promised and whatever will be for his own glory and his people's good.

 

Psalm 37:6  6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light And your justice as the noonday.

   YLT  6And hath brought out as light thy righteousness And thy judgment as noon-day.

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light .... That is the good man having committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously he will in his own time clearly make it appear that it is a righteous one both to himself and others in whatsoever obscurity it may have lain;

and thy judgment as the noonday; the same as before unless rather the righteousness of Christ which is the believer's by imputation and is a justifying one in the judgment of God should be meant; see Micah 7:9; and the phrases may denote not barely the revelation of it in the Gospel but the more clear manifestation of it to the believer himself from faith to faith; or as it will be still more clearly revealed and declared at the day of judgment when those who are clothed with it shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father and be clear of all those charges and imputations which they have lain under in this life.

 

Psalm 37:7  7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
   YLT 
7Be silent for Jehovah and stay thyself for Him Do not fret because of him Who is making prosperous his way Because of a man doing wicked devices.

Rest in the Lord .... Or "be silent to the Lord"F16דום ליהוה "tace Domino" Pagninus Montanus; "sile" Musculus Piscator Tigurine version Cocceius Gejerus Michaelis; so Ainsworth. ; be still and know that he is God; quietly submit to his will and acquiesce in all the dispensations of his providence: it does not design a stupid indolence or a stoical apathy that we should be like sticks and stones without any concern at the hand of God upon us; nor an entire silence under afflictions; we should own that they are of God and that we are deserving of them; we should pray to him to sanctify them to support under them and deliver out of them; we should bless his name that they are no worse and that they are any ways useful to us; and we should speak to others of the divine goodness experienced under them; but this stands opposed to an arraigning or murmuring at the providence of God and intends a patient bearing the hand of God and a resignation of will to his will; for it follows

and wait patiently for him: for the enjoyment of him help from him and deliverance by him;

fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass; this explains the sense of Psalm 37:1; it being often an additional uneasiness to the people of God under affliction when they observe the prosperity of men that go on in a sinful way and have all or more than heart can wish; and whatever they contrive and devise though wicked and criminal.

 

Psalm 37:8  8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.

   YLT  8Desist from anger and forsake fury Fret not thyself only to do evil.

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.

 

Psalm 37:9  9 For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord They shall inherit the earth.
   YLT 
9For evil doers are cut off As to those waiting on Jehovah they possess the land.

For evildoers shall be cut off .... Though they flourish for a while they shall be cut down like the grass or flower of the field or they shall be cut off as branches from a flourishing tree; they shall be cut off from the earth and rooted out of it by death or some desolating judgment; see Proverbs 2:22; and therefore not to be envied and fretted at;

but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth; such who attend his word worship and ordinances; obey his commands trust in his grace and mercy; or as the Targum "trust in the word of the Lord"; who wait upon him for the manifestations of himself for the performance of his promises for answer of prayer for supplies of grace and live in the expectation of the heavenly glory; these shall have for their inheritance not the land of Canaan a land flowing with milk and honey which the obedient Jews enjoyed; but either this world and the necessaries of it which such persons have the promise of a right unto through Christ are heirs of and do enjoy what they do with a blessing; or else the new earth after this in which only righteous ones those that wait upon the Lord and trust in him will dwell; unless the heavenly country the good land afar off is meant often called an inheritance.

 

Psalm 37:10  10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed you will look carefully for his place But it shall be no more.
   YLT 
10And yet a little and the wicked is not And thou hast considered his place and it is not.

For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be .... Not that they shall be annihilated or reduced to nothing because nonentities have no place nor being any where; when they die they shall lift up their eyes in hell; their bodies will rise again at the last day; they shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ and go into everlasting punishment; but they shall be no more in the world and in the same flourishing and prosperous circumstances they were: and this their destruction will be in a short time very quickly;

yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be; his dwelling place called after his own name to perpetuate the memory of him; see Job 7:10; an instance of this the psalmist gives of his own knowledge Psalm 37:35.

 

Psalm 37:11  11 But the meek shall inherit the earth And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

   YLT  11And the humble do possess the land And they have delighted themselves In the abundance of peace.

But the meek shall inherit the earth .... See Gill on Psalm 37:9; of this character See Gill on Psalm 22:26. Our Lord seems to refer to this passage in Matthew 5:5;

and shall delight themselves is the abundance of peace; of spiritual peace enjoyed in a way of believing arising from a comfortable view of interest in the blood righteousness and sacrifice of Christ; and of all happiness and prosperity in the kingdom of Christ here on earth at which time there will be abundance of peace Psalm 72:7; or of eternal peace in the world to come which will be a state of uninterrupted and unspeakable peace; see Psalm 37:37; all which afford inconceivable delight and pleasure; and therefore such have no need to fret and be envious at the fading happiness of wicked men.

 

Psalm 37:12  12 The wicked plots against the just And gnashes at him with his teeth.
   YLT 
12The wicked is devising against the righteous And gnashing against him his teeth.

The wicked plotteth against the just .... Forms schemes to make him uneasy uncomfortable and unhappy:

and gnasheth upon him with his teeth: which expresses his malice and hatred as David's enemies did upon him Psalm 35:16; and Stephen's Acts 7:54.

 

Psalm 37:13  13 The Lord laughs at him For He sees that his day is coming.
   YLT 
13The Lord doth laugh at him For He hath seen that his day cometh.

Verse 13

The Lord shall laugh at him .... Have him and his plots in derision confound his schemes and disappoint him of his designs bring him into calamity and laugh at it; see Psalm 2:4;

for he seeth that his day is coming; either the day of the Lord which he has appointed to judge the world in and which comes suddenly at unawares as a thief in the night and is known unto the Lord though to none else; or the day of the wicked man's ruin and destruction to which he is appointed and which is the same; and so the Targum is "the day of his calamity": which the Lord observes is hastening on when he will be for ever miserable.

 

Psalm 37:14  14 The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow To cast down the poor and needy To slay those who are of upright conduct.
   YLT 
14A sword have the wicked opened And they have trodden their bow To cause to fall the poor and needy To slaughter the upright of the way.

The wicked have drawn out the sword .... That is out of the scabbard; they drew upon the righteous in order to sheath it in them; or they sharpened the sword as Aben Ezra observes some interpret the word; it may be literally rendered "opened the sword"F17חרב פתחו "aperuerunt gladium" Gejerus. which before lay hid in the scabbard:

and have bent their bow; having put the arrow in it in order to shoot. The former expression may design the more open and this the more secret way of acting against the righteous; and their view in both is

to cast down the poor and needy who are so both in a temporal and spiritual sense; to cause such to fall either into sin or into some calamity or another:

and to slay such as be of upright conversation; who walk according to the rule of the word of God and as becomes the Gospel of Christ: nothing less than the blood and life of these men will satisfy the wicked; and it is an aggravation of their wickedness that they should attempt to hurt men of such character who are poor and needy holy harmless inoffensive and upright; and this points at the reason why they hate them and seek their ruin because of the holiness and uprightness of their lives; see John 15:19.

 

Psalm 37:15  15 Their sword shall enter their own heart And their bows shall be broken.

   YLT  15Their sword doth enter into their own heart And their bows are shivered.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart .... As Saul's did into his 1 Samuel 31:4;

and their bows shall be broken; the meaning is that their efforts shall be fruitless and their attempts in vain; the mischief they have contrived and designed for others shall fall upon themselves; see Psalm 7:15; and therefore the saints should not be fretful and envious.

 

Psalm 37:16  16 A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.
   YLT 
16Better [is] the little of the righteous Than the store of many wicked.

A little that a righteous man hath .... It is the portion of the righteous for the most part to have but little of this world's goods; some indeed have been rich as Abraham Lot David Joseph of Arimathea and others; but generally speaking the wicked have the largest share of worldly things and the righteous but little and are as having nothing comparatively; and yet their little

is better than the riches of many wicked; not that a little is better than much or that poverty is better than riches or a poor man better than a rich man; but the comparison is between a righteous man and a wicked man; the emphasis lies there; and the sense is that a "righteous" man's "little" is better than a "wicked" man's "much"; the righteous have a right to what they have through Christ who is heir of all things but not the wicked; they have what they have in love and with a blessing not so the wicked; they are contented in their state and condition when the wicked are never satisfied; they possess and enjoy what they have even all they have when God oftentimes does not give the wicked an heart to eat and drink of what they are possessed but a stranger eats it; they have the presence of God with them and that makes a little sweet and to go a great way; and they live without any anxious distressing burdensome care; not so the wicked; and before long the tables will be turned and they will have their good things and the wicked their evil things; see Proverbs 16:8; wherefore they have no need to fret under present circumstances nor envy the happiness of wicked men. Arama interprets it of a little help that a righteous man has better than the riches of many wicked; and GussetiusF18Ebr. Comment. p. 213 475. understands all this not of the smallness and largeness of the substance of different persons but of their numbers the one small the other large; and Jarchi that the sense is that a few persons with the righteous which was the case of Abraham and Gideon are better and succeed more than the multitude of many wicked persons; and the church should be content with a small number of believers and not draw in a multitude of wicked men into their communion.

 

Psalm 37:17  17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken But the Lord upholds the righteous.

   YLT  17For the arms of the wicked are shivered And Jehovah is sustaining the righteous.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken .... That is their sword arm with which they have drawn it; and so shall not be able to strike with it; and with which they have bent their bows but shall not be able to shoot: and this proves what is before suggested that their efforts shall be fruitless; or their substance shall be taken away from them in which they trusted and wherein their strength lay; and this confirms what had been just spoken that the righteous man's little is better than the wicked man's much; and which is further confirmed by what follows;

but the Lord upholdeth the righteous; both in a providential way by supporting them in their being supplying their need preserving them from dangers and bearing them up under all their afflictions; and in a spiritual way by maintaining the principle of grace and life in them by furnishing them with all spiritual blessings by sustaining them in times of temptation and by securing them safe from their enemies; upholding them so as that they stand in the grace of God now and shall stand before Christ with confidence hereafter; and shall not fall here finally and totally nor in the day of judgment. The Targum is "the Word of the Lord upholdeth the righteous".

 

Psalm 37:18  18 The Lord knows the days of the upright And their inheritance shall be forever.
   YLT 
18Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect And their inheritance is -- to the age.

The Lord knoweth the days of the upright .... Not only how long they shall live and so fill up their days the number of them as Aben Ezra interprets it; but the nature of their days whether prosperous or adverse; and causes both to work together for their good; and he knows the work of their days as Jarchi explains it the actions done by them in faith and love and to his honour and glory and which he approves and accepts of in Christ; see Psalm 1:6;

and their inheritance shall be for ever; in heaven which is an eternal and never fading one Hebrews 9:15; and therefore they ought not to fret and be envious.

 

Psalm 37:19  19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
   YLT 
19They are not ashamed in a time of evil And in days of famine they are satisfied.

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time .... Of affliction and persecution or of old age or in the day of judgment when it will go ill with others; see 1 John 2:28;

and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied: whether it is understood figuratively of a famine of hearing the word or literally of a proper famine of bread and water: these God will provide for them as he did for Elijah and they shall be sure unto them and therefore let them not fret nor envy.

 

Psalm 37:20  20 But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the Lord Like the splendor of the meadows shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away.

   YLT  20But the wicked perish and the enemies of Jehovah As the preciousness of lambs Have been consumed In smoke they have been consumed.

But the wicked shall perish .... In a time of famine in an evil day and particularly at the day of judgment: for this is to be understood not merely of being in bodily distress and want; nor of perishing by death common to the righteous and the wicked; nor of being in a lost perishing condition as all men by nature are but of eternal perdition in hell;

and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs they shall consume; that is either they shall consume away as the fat of lambs burnt upon the altar which evaporates or as lambs fattened on purpose to be killed and so prepared for the day of slaughter; in like manner the wicked who have waxed fat and kicked will be destroyed; they being the enemies of God yea enmity to him to Father Son and Spirit to the Gospel and ordinances of Christ and to his people and will be treated as such. Some render the word "like the excellency of pastures"F19כיקר כרים "sicut pretiosum pratorum" Muis; so some in Piscator; "vel gloria" Michaelis. ; the grass of the field which is cut down and withers presently; see Psalm 37:2;

into smoke shall they consume away or "with"F20בעשן "cum fumo" Gejerus Tigurine version; so Ainsworth. it; that is as it; see Psalm 68:1; or "in smoke"F21"In fumo" Montanus Musculus Michaelis. ; in the smoke of eternal torments or hell as the Targum.

 

Psalm 37:21  21 The wicked borrows and does not repay But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
   YLT 
21The wicked is borrowing and repayeth not And the righteous is gracious and giving.

The wicked borroweth and payeth not again .... While the wicked live they are scandalous; they live by borrowing which was always reckoned mean; see Deuteronomy 28:12; and what is worse as they borrow they do not design to repay; they take no care nor thought about that but live upon what they borrow: for this either expresses their incapacity that they cannot pay; or the evil disposition of their mind which rather seems to be the sense that they will not pay;

but the righteous showeth mercy and giveth; which not only argues capacity and ability but a kind merciful and tender spirit to persons in distress and is expressive of a generous action.

 

Psalm 37:22  22 For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

   YLT  22For His blessed ones do possess the land And His reviled ones are cut off.

For such as be blessed of him .... Not of the righteous man; for he blesses them that curse and persecute him and despitefully use him; but of the Lord as the Syriac version expresses it; or by the Word of the Lord as the Targum; both in a providential way for it is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich and puts into a capacity to give to others; and in a way of grace with an interest in God as a covenant God in Christ; and with the blessings of grace in him with a justifying righteousness pardon of sin and a right to eternal glory. The Septuagint version and those that follow that render the words actively "such as bless him"; either such as bless the righteous who are blessed also Genesis 12:3; or rather such as bless the Lord as the righteous do for all their blessings temporal and spiritual they receive from him; these

shall inherit the earth; See Gill on Psalm 37:9;

and they that be cursed of him; not of the righteous man but of the Lord according to the tenor of his righteous law which they have broken:

shall be cut off; out of the land of the living; many of them in the midst of their days and shall everlastingly perish.

 

Psalm 37:23  23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord And He delights in his way.
   YLT 
23From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man They have been prepared And his way he desireth.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord .... Or "of a man"F23גבר "hominis" Pagninus Montanus &c. ; such a man as is blessed of the Lord; the steps which he takes in life are ordered by the Lord both with respect to things temporal and spiritual: his good conduct is not of himself it is a blessing of the Lord who directs and keeps the feet of his saints and inclines them to take such steps and pursue such methods which he succeeds and prospers;

and he delighteth in his way; which he knows and approves of guides and directs him in; see Psalm 1:6.

 

Psalm 37:24  24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

   YLT  24When he falleth he is not cast down For Jehovah is sustaining his hand.

Though he fall .... Into temptation and by it into sins and these very great ones; from a lively and comfortable exercise of grace and a degree of steadfastness in the doctrine of grace:

he shall not be utterly cast down; because he is in the arms of everlasting love and in the hands of Christ Jesus; is on him as the sure foundation and is kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation and so shall not perish but have everlasting life;

for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand; with the right hand of his righteousness and keeps him from falling finally and totally; see Isaiah 41:10; and See Gill on Psalm 37:17.

 

Psalm 37:25  25 I have been young and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Nor his descendants begging bread.
   YLT 
25Young I have been I have also become old And I have not seen the righteous forsaken And his seed seeking bread.

I have been young and now am old .... The psalmist makes mention of his age which takes in the whole compass of his life to command attention to what he was about to say; which was founded upon a long experience and observation of things and was as follows;

yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken; though afflicted of God and persecuted by men yet not forsaken; though poor and needy and often in necessitous circumstances yet God in his providence appeared for them in one way or another; and so as Apollinarius paraphrases it

"I never knew a just man entirely needy;'

for such might be forsaken by men and even by their dearest friends and relations yet not by the Lord: they might indeed at times think themselves forsaken of him and their enemies might conclude and say they were and yet this was not their case Isaiah 49:14; and though they may be forsaken by him for a while yet not utterly; he will not leave them and forsake them for ever Isaiah 54:7;

nor his seed begging bread; they being righteous also which must be supposed; otherwise as good men have wicked children these through their wickedness may come to poverty to beggary as they sometimes do; though a distinction may be made between being poor and beggars; the seed of the righteous may be the one and not the other: besides there is a difference between asking bread of others in some few instances and constantly begging bread from door to door in which last sense the psalmist must be understood here; for otherwise he himself in some cases had asked bread as of Ahimelech at Nob and of Nabal &c. as did also Elijah of the widow of Sarepta: and though there might have been instances of some of the posterity of the righteous who got their bread by begging at the door as in the case of Lazarus; yet David had never observed any such instance during the time of his life which shows that such instances are very rare; whereas among wicked men and their offspring the case is frequent and common. Again it may be observed that the psalmist is speaking in the context of righteous men that are liberal and give to the poor freely and largely; and it is seldom if ever known that they or their children come to want and poverty. Once more the word "forsaken" may be repeated in this clause thus; "nor his seed begging bread forsaken"F24"Justum non vidi derelictum et semen justi quaerens panem non vidi derelictum"; so Hopfnerus Titelmannus Lorinus Franzius apud Gejerum; "frustra quaerens panem et finalitur destitutum" Michaelis. ; or seeking it in vain and finally destitute of it; though they have been so reduced as to beg their bread they have not been forsaken; they have find it bread sufficient to support life as Apollinarius paraphrases it; their bread has been given and their water sure; see Isaiah 41:17. In an ancient MidrashF25Vajikra Rabba s. 35. fol. 175. 2. or exposition of the Jews the sense is thus given:

"although his seed and his sons are begging bread yet I have not seen the righteous man their father forsaken because of his fear of the blessed God.'

 

Psalm 37:26  26 He is ever merciful and lends; And his descendants are blessed.

   YLT  26All the day he is gracious and lending And his seed [is] for a blessing.

He is ever merciful and lendeth .... He sympathizes with the poor in distress and shows mercy to miserable objects; not only by words but deeds: and this is his constant disposition and conduct; of which his lending as well as giving to persons in necessity is an instance; and which shows capacity and is a proof of the observation of the psalmist that such are never forsaken nor left to beg their bread: so far from it that they have to lend and give to others;

and his seed is blessed; either his seed sown his alms deeds which are blessed to him and his and to them to whom he ministers as Jarchi explains it; see 2 Corinthians 9:6; or rather his offspring who are blessed of God with things temporal for his sake; and are blessed by men who say of them these are the posterity of such and such liberal persons.

 

Psalm 37:27  27 Depart from evil and do good; And dwell forevermore.
   YLT 
27Turn aside from evil and do good and dwell to the age.

Depart from evil and do good .... Depart from evildoers and their evil ways; join not with them nor fret and be envious at them; but do acts of beneficence and all good works; since righteous men and their seed are not forsaken but blessed of God; See Gill on Psalm 34:14;

and dwell for evermore; or "thou shalt dwell for evermore"F26ושכן לעולם "et habitabis in seculum" Pagninus Vatablus Piscator; so Aben Ezra & Kimchi. ; see Psalm 37:3; that is in everlasting habitations in the house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Luke 16:9. The Targum is "that thou mayest dwell in everlasting life".

 

Psalm 37:28  28 For the Lord loves justice And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
   YLT 
28For Jehovah is loving judgment And He doth not forsake His saintly ones To the age they have been kept And the seed of the wicked is cut off.

For the Lord loveth judgment .... Righteousness or righteous actions when done according to his will from love in faith and to his glory; see Psalm 11:7; or to minister judgment to the people and to render to every man according to his works;

and forsaketh not his saints; his Holy Ones who are called with an holy calling are created in righteousness and true holiness and have principles of grace and holiness wrought in them; or whom he prosecutes with his favour and goodness with his everlasting love and mercy with spiritual blessings with the blessings of justification pardon adoption and a right to eternal life: these he never forsakes not their persons neither in life nor at death nor at judgment; nor does he ever forsake the work of his own hands in them; but performs it until the day of Christ: nor will he ever so forsake them as that they shall perish through the strength of sin the temptations of Satan or the snares of the world;

they are preserved for ever; from the dominion and damning power of sin from being devoured by Satan from a total and final falling away and from being hurt of the second death: they are preserved in Christ in whose hands they are; and by the power of God safe to his kingdom and glory into which they shall have an abundant entrance;

but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off; out of the earth in the midst of their days like withered branches; and be cast into everlasting burnings.

 

Psalm 37:29  29 The righteous shall inherit the land And dwell in it forever.

   YLT  29The righteous possess the land And they dwell for ever on it.

The righteous shall inherit the land .... See Gill on Psalm 37:9 and See Gill on Psalm 37:11;

and dwell therein for ever; See Gill on Psalm 37:27.

 

Psalm 37:30  30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom And his tongue talks of justice.
   YLT 
30The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom And his tongue speaketh judgment.

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom .... Or "meditateth wisdom"F1יהגה μελετησει Sept. "meditabitur" V. L. so Musculus: Junius & Tremellius Piscator Michaelis. ; that is utters the wisdom he has been meditating upon; see Psalm 69:3; he meditates and speaks of the wisdom of God which appears in the works of creation providence and grace; and of Christ who is wisdom itself and the wisdom of God essentially; and who as Mediator has the spirit of wisdom resting on him the treasures of wisdom hid in him and is made wisdom to his people: and righteous men meditate upon and speak of the glories of his person the fulness of his grace and the works of his hands; as also of the Gospel which is the wisdom of God mysterious hidden ancient wisdom ordained before the world for their glory; and likewise of that internal wisdom and experience of divine grace the Lord has made them to know in the hidden part; which lies in the knowledge of themselves and in a spiritual experimental and saving knowledge of Christ and the way of salvation by him; and his mouth delivers out wise sayings and useful instructions fetched out of the word of God and founded on experience and observation;

and his tongue talketh of judgment; of the judgment which the righteous God ordinarily ministers in a providential way; and of his extraordinary and awful judgments which have been or are in the earth; these he takes notice of for his own use and observes them to others for their instruction; and also of the last judgment the judgment to come which he speaks of as sure and certain as universal and inevitable and at which he must appear before God: and he talks of judgment or righteousness; that is of the righteousness of Christ; he makes mention of this only as his justifying righteousness before God; he rejoices and glories in it and desires to be found in it living and dying and at judgment; and whatsoever things are honest just pure and of good report he thinks and speaks of them and instructs his family his children and servants in them that they may do them; see Genesis 18:19.

 

Psalm 37:31  31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide.

   YLT  31The law of his God [is] his heart His steps do not slide.

The law of his God is in his heart .... Which may be understood of the moral law which was written in the heart of Adam an his creation and continued there during his state of innocence but was greatly obliterated by sin: there are some remains of it in fallen man even in the very Gentiles; who though without the law do some things contained in it which shows the work of it to be written in them; though in some it is scarcely legible having lost all distinction between good and evil: but in regeneration the law of God is reinscribed according to the promise of the covenant of grace Jeremiah 31:33; and such have a real knowledge of the spirituality and perfection of it; of the impossibility of justification by it; and of Christ being the fulfilling end of it: and they have a strong affection for it; they love it; and delight in it after the inward man and serve it with their minds; in which lies part of their conformity to Christ and is a branch of their character as good men; see Psalm 40:8; moreover the word תורת here used signifies any doctrine or instruction and is sometimes used for the doctrine of the Gospel Isaiah 2:3 and may have this sense here and the meaning be that that has a place in the hearts or righteous men dwells richly there and works effectually in them; and particularly the doctrine of grace which relates to covenant interest in God; for it is the law or doctrine of "his God" that is in his heart;

none of his steps shall slide; not that he shall never slip nor fall; for that is supposed Psalm 37:24; but he shall never finally and totally go out of the paths of truth holiness and righteousness: the Lord keeps the feet of his saints and orders their steps and directs them in the way they should go and preserves them in it; and enables them to walk uprightly according to the rule of the divine word and in all his commandments and ordinances; and to hold on and out unto the end: or the clause may be rendered "it" the law "shall not cause his steps to slide"F2תמעד אשריו "non vacillat gressus ejus" Cocceius. ; neither the law of God nor the Gospel of Christ but shall guide him in the right way and be a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path.

 

Psalm 37:32  32 The wicked watches the righteous And seeks to slay him.
   YLT 
32The wicked is watching for the righteous And is seeking to put him to death.

The wicked watcheth the righteous .... All his motions and steps his works and actions; he watches for his halting and to take all opportunities and advantages against him; see Jeremiah 20:10;

and seeketh to slay him; murder his reputation destroy his substance and take away his life: some understand it of the devil who watches the saints observes their failings accuses then before the throne and seeks to devour them 1 Peter 5:8.

 

Psalm 37:33  33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand Nor condemn him when he is judged.

   YLT  33Jehovah doth not leave him in his hand Nor condemn him in his being judged.

The Lord will not leave him in his hand .... Or power; but will in his own time deliver him from all the reproach affliction and persecution endures by him; as he will also deliver him out of all the temptations of Satan;

nor condemn him when he is judged; by the wicked man: he will not join in the sentence but reverse it and condemn the tongue that rises up in judgment against him and save him from him; see Psalm 109:31; nor will the Lord condemn him when he is judged by him at the hast judgment; but will acquit him before men and angels and introduce him into his kingdom and glory.

 

Psalm 37:34  34 Wait on the Lord And keep His way And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off you shall see it.
   YLT 
34Look unto Jehovah and keep His way And He doth exalt thee to possess the land In the wicked being cut off -- thou seest!

Wait on the Lord .... In the way of his appointments and ordinances; where may be learned the design of his providences and of the prosperity of the wicked and their end Psalm 73:16; and in a providential way for the performance of his promises in which he never fails; and patiently bear whatever he is pleased to lay upon them; waiting for a deliverance out of every affliction which will be in his own time. The Chaldee paraphrase

"trust in the word of the Lord;'

and keep his way: which he has pointed out in his word and has directed his people to walk in; though tempted by Satan to turn aside to the right hand or the left; though wicked men reproach persecute and seek to pervert it; and though a narrow and rough way yet keep constantly in it in which there are both pleasure and profit; good comes of it and in it peace is had and the presence of God enjoyed;

and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: that is shall raise out of a low and uncomfortable situation of life to a more comfortable one; or however hereafter to dwell in the new heavens and new earth to reign with Christ upon his throne and to enjoy the eternal inheritance;

when the wicked are cut off; as in Psalm 37:9;

thou shall see it; with joy and pleasure; not as exulting: in the destruction of the wicked simply considered; but as the glory of divine justice is displayed therein; see Psalm 52:5.

 

Psalm 37:35  35 I have seen the wicked in great power And spreading himself like a native green tree.
   YLT 
35I have seen the wicked terrible And spreading as a green native plant

I have seen the wicked in great power .... Meaning some particular person invested with great power in great authority among men one of the spiritual wickednesses in high places; such a man as Haman in Ahasuerus's court; and though the psalmist does not choose to mention his name he doubtless had him in his mind; as either Saul or Doeg the Edomite or Ahithophel or some such man who was in an exalted station of life; and it may be when he himself was in low and distressed circumstances: the word usedF3עדיץ "terrificam" Montanus Vatablus; "terribilem ant formidabilem" Gejerus Michaelis; "daunting terrible" Ainsworth. signifies one formidable and terrible striking terror to all around; of whom others are afraid as Aben Ezra interprets it Isaiah 29:20;

and spreading himself like a green bay tree: or like one that grows up out of the earth of itself and is in its native soil and very flourishing: and the metaphor denotes an increase of riches and honour and a seemingly settled state in the enjoyment of such outward felicity; so Jarchi interprets it משריש "taking root"; as well as such a man's glorying in and boasting of his affluence and fulness; see Psalm 73:12. Aben Ezra explains it of a wicked man's openly committing iniquity declaring his sin as Sodom and glorying in his shame; but rather it denotes a man in great authority and esteem as a man crowned with laurels and in a very exalted and triumphant state.

 

Psalm 37:36  36 Yet he passed away [a] and behold he was no more; Indeed I sought him but he could not be found.

   YLT  36And he passeth away and lo he is not And I seek him and he is not found!

Yet he passed away .... At once on a sudden; either his riches and honour which in one hour came to nought by one providence or another; or he himself by death; in the midst of all his prosperity and while blessing himself in it his soul was required of him; and so the Targum is "he ceased from the world"; he went out of it unawares: the laurel or bay tree very quickly grows oldF4"Senescit velociter" Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 44. ;

and lo he was not; he was not reduced to nothing; he did not become a nonentity though he might wish himself to be so; it being better for him if he had never been born; but he was not in the land of the living in hell he lifted up his eyes;

yea I sought him but he could not be found; in the place where he formerly was that knowing him no more; he could not be found on earth from whence he was gone; nor in heaven where no place is found for such wicked men; he was gone to his own place as is said of Judas and of whom Jerom interprets the whole of this passage.

 

Psalm 37:37  37 Mark the blameless man and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace.
   YLT 
37Observe the perfect and see the upright For the latter end of each [is] peace.

Mark the perfect man .... None are so in themselves not the most holy man upon earth; for though all grace is implanted at once in regeneration the seed of grace of every kind is cast into the heart at once; yet it opens and spreads and gradually increases; nor is any grace in its exercise perfect; not faith nor hope nor love: sin is in the best of men and all stand in need of fresh supplies of grace. None of the saints ever affirmed that they had arrived to perfection but have disclaimed it: one saint may indeed attain to a greater degree of grace and knowledge than another and in a comparative sense be perfect; and there is a perfection of parts though not of degrees in all; the new man is formed in all its parts though these are not grown to their full perfection: and whereas perfection often denotes truth and sincerity such may be said to be perfect that is sincere who have received the grace of God in truth have the truth and root of the matter in them; so Noah Job and others are said to be perfect men; but not simply and absolutely in themselves but as in Christ Jesus; who has obtained complete redemption perfectly fulfilled the law for them fully expiated their sins procured the entire pardon of them and brought in an everlasting righteousness by which they are justified from all sin and are perfectly comely and a perfection of beauty through the comeliness of Christ put upon them;

and behold the upright; the man that is upright in heart and conversation who has a right spirit renewed in him and the uprightness of Christ showed unto him; or in other words who has the truth of grace within him and the righteousness of Christ upon him: such men are to be marked observed viewed and considered as rare and uncommon men; and to be imitated and followed in the exercise of grace and discharge of duty; and especially the end of such persons is to be marked and beheld as follows;

for the end of that man is peace: such a man now enjoys a conscience peace which passes the understanding of worldly men; and which he possesses in Christ and from him amidst a variety of tribulations arising from a view of interest in his blood and righteousness; and generally speaking goes off the stage of life if not triumphing yet resigned to the will of God and in a serene and tranquil frame of spirit and even desiring to be gone and to be with Christ and to have leave with good old Simeon to depart in peace; and as soon as they are departed they enter into peace into the joy of their Lord into his presence where is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore; see Numbers 23:10.

 

Psalm 37:38  38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

   YLT  38And transgressors were destroyed together The latter end of the wicked was cut off.

But the transgressors shall be destroyed together .... This is to be understood of obstinate and continued transgressors who live and die in their transgressions; see Proverbs 11:3; otherwise all men are transgressors in Adam and sinned and fell with him in his transgression; and are justly called transgressors from the womb; and are guilty of actual transgressions nor are any clear from them; and are arraigned convinced and judged by the law as transgressors; and for many of these Christ died and makes intercession; and who are converted and turned from their transgressions; and these are pardoned and saved and not destroyed: but stubborn and perverse transgressors are destroyed; not only with a temporal destruction of their substance and of their names and they themselves are rooted out of the earth; but with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power; for this seems to refer to the day of judgment when all the wicked will be "together"; and shall in a body stand at Christ's left hand and be bid to go "ye cursed into everlasting fire" Matthew 25:41 and shall be turned into hell at once and together;

the end of the wicked shall be cut off; meaning either their posterity as the word is rendered in Psalm 109:13; or their hope and expectation of good things here and hereafter; when the righteous man receives the end of his faith hope and expectation even the salvation of his soul; but these shall be disappointed and frustrated of their end; see Proverbs 23:18; or their last end is cutting off from the presence and sight of God utter ruin and destruction; and so it stands opposed to the end of the perfect and upright man which is eternal peace and happiness.

 

Psalm 37:39  39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble.
   YLT 
39And the salvation of the righteous [is] from Jehovah Their strong place in a time of adversity.

But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord .... Both their temporal spiritual and eternal salvation; particularly the latter which is originally of the Lord and springs from the thoughts purposes and resolutions of his heart: it is of him freely of his rich grace and abundant mercy; and it is of him fully and completely; it is an entire salvation of soul and body; includes all blessings of grace and glory in it; it is to the uttermost and from all sin and every enemy; and it is of him only; there is no salvation in any other; and the glory of it is to be ascribed to him even to Jehovah Father Son and Spirit; for all the three divine Persons have a concern in it: the determination contrivance and settlement of it is of Jehovah the Father; the impetration or effecting of it is of Jehovah the Son; and the application of it is of Jehovah the Spirit; See Gill on Psalm 3:8;

he is their strength in the time of trouble; by reason of the hidings of God's face the temptations of Satan the prevalence of corruptions the weakness of grace and the many afflictions that befall them from God and men; the Lord he is their strong hold and munition of rocks whither they betake themselves and find help protection and safety; he puts underneath everlasting arms bears them up and upholds them with the right hand of his righteousness; and is the strength of their hearts of their lives and of their salvation.

 

Psalm 37:40  40 And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked And save them Because they trust in Him.

   YLT  40And Jehovah doth help them and deliver them He delivereth them from the wicked And saveth them Because they trusted in Him!

And the Lord shall help them .... In their distress and out of their troubles when none else can and they themselves cannot; and that seasonably and sometimes with means and sometimes without;

and deliver them; out of all their afflictions which he does sooner or later; if not in life yet at death;

he shall deliver them from the wicked; this is repeated both for confirmation and explanation sake showing who they are the Lord will deliver his people from even from wicked and unreasonable men; he will not leave them in their hands now to do with them as they shall think fit; and he will free them from them to all eternity in the other world where they shall cease from giving them any trouble;

and save them because they trust in him; not that there is any saving virtue in faith or in trusting in the Lord; the saving virtue is in the Lord the object of faith and trust; but inasmuch as the Lord has appointed salvation to be through faith or has made that the means of receiving and enjoying salvation and the blessings of it and has declared that he that believeth shall be saved he does accordingly save all such persons; wherefore blessed are they that trust in him. The Chaldee paraphrase is

"he shall redeem them because they trust in his Word.'

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 37:36 Following Masoretic Text Septuagint and Targum; Syriac and Vulgate read I passed by.