1Do not fret yourself over evil doers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass; and wither as the green herb. 3Trust in Jehovah, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on faithfulness. 4Delight yourself also in Jehovah, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5Roll your ways upon Jehovah; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass. 6And He will bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your justice like the noonday. 7Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret over him who prospers in his way, because of him who works out wicked devices. 8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret; it only leads to evil. 9For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait upon Jehovah, they shall inherit the earth. 10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall be no more; indeed, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall be no more. 11But the lowly shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. 13Jehovah laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. 14The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slaughter those who walk uprightly. 15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16A little that the righteous has is better than the riches of many wicked. 17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Jehovah upholds the righteous. 18Jehovah knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. 19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Jehovah shall be as prized lambs; they are consumed; like smoke they vanish. 21The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives. 22For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, and those cursed by Him shall be cut off. 23The steps of a good man are ordered by Jehovah, and he delights in His way. 24Though he fall, he shall not be cast down, for Jehovah upholds his hand. 25I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26All day long he is gracious and lends, and his seed is blessed. 27Depart from evil and do good, and live forevermore. 28For Jehovah loves justice and does not forsake His Godly ones; they are preserved forever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29The righteous shall inherit the earth, and dwell in it forever. 30The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. 31The Law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. 32The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him. 33Jehovah will not abandon him in his hand, nor allow him to be found guilty when he is judged. 34Wait upon Jehovah and keep His way, and He will lift you up to inherit the earth; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. 35I have seen the wicked, ruthless, and spreading himself like a luxuriant native tree. 36Yet he passed away, and lo, he was no more; indeed, I sought for him, but he could not be found. 37Observe the perfect and consider the upright one; for the latter time of that man is peace. 38But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39But the salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah; He is their strength in the time of distress. 40And Jehovah will help them and deliver them; He will deliver them from the wicked and save them, because they have trusted in Him.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 A composed and uniform trust in God and a constant course of integrity are urged in view of the blessedness of the truly pious, contrasted in various aspects with the final ruin of the wicked. Thus the wisdom and justice of God's providence are vindicated, and its seeming inequalities, which excite the cavils of the wicked and the distrust of the pious, are explained. David's personal history abundantly illustrates the Psalm. (Psa. 37:1-40)
The general sentiment of the whole Psalm is expressed. The righteous need not be vexed by the prosperity of the wicked; for it is transient, and their destiny undesirable.
3 Trust--sure of safety.
shalt thou dwell--or, "dwell thou"; repose quietly.
verily . . . fed--or, "feed on truth," God's promise (
Ps 36:5; compare
Hos 12:1).
4 desires-- (
Ps 20:5;
Ps 21:2), what is lawful and right, really good (
Ps 84:11).
5 Commit thy way-- (
Pro 16:3). Works--what you have to do and cannot set forth as a burden.
trust . . . in him--literally, "on Him." He will do what you cannot (compare
Ps 22:8;
Ps 31:6). He will not suffer your character to remain under suspicion.
7 Rest in--literally, "Be silent to the Lord."
and wait--Be submissive--avoid petulance and murmurings, anger and rash doing.
9 Two reasons: The prosperity of the wicked is short; and the pious, by humble trust, will secure all covenant blessing, denoted here by "inherit the earth" (compare
Ps 25:13).
10 shall not be--literally, "is not"--is not to be found.
11 peace--includes prosperity.
12 gnasheth . . . teeth--in beastly rage.
13 (Compare
Ps 2:4).
seeth--knows certainly.
his day--of punishment, long delayed, shall yet come (
Heb 10:37).
14 sword, and . . . bow--for any instruments of violence.
slay--literally, "slaughter" (
1Sam 25:11).
poor and needy--God's people (
Ps 10:17;
Ps 12:5). The punishment of the wicked as drawn on themselves--often mentioned (compare
Ps 7:15-
Ps 7:16;
Ps 35:8).
16 riches--literally, "noise and tumult," as incidental to much wealth (compare
Ps 39:6). Thus the contrast with the "little" of one man is more vivid.
17 Even the members of the body needed to hold weapons are destroyed.
18 God, who knows His people's changes, provides against evil and supplies all their need.
20 While the wicked, however mighty, are destroyed, and that utterly, as smoke which vanishes and leaves no trace.
21 payeth not--not able; having grown poor (compare
Deut 15:7). Ability of the one and inability of the other do not exclude moral dispositions. God's blessing or cursing makes the difference.
22 cut off--opposed to "inherit the earth" (compare
Lev 7:20-
Lev 7:21).
23 steps--way, or, "course of life"; as ordered by God, failures will not be permanent.
26 his seed is blessed--literally, "for a blessing" (
Gen 12:2;
Ps 21:6). This position is still true as the rule of God's economy (
1Tim 4:8;
1Tim 6:6).
27 The exhortation is sustained by the assurance of God's essential rectitude in that providential government which provides perpetual blessings for the good, and perpetual misery for the wicked.
30 The righteous described as to the elements of character, thought, word, and action.
31 steps--or, "goings"--for conduct which is unwavering (
Ps 18:36).
32 The devices of the wicked against the good fail because God acquits them.
34 On the contrary, the good are not only blessed, but made to see the ruin of their foes.
35 of which a picture is given, under the figure of a flourishing tree (compare Margin), which soon withers.
36 he was not--(Compare
Ps 37:10).
37 By "the end" is meant reward (
Pro 23:18;
Pro 24:14), or expectation of success, as in
Ps 37:38, which describes the end of the wicked in contrast, and that is cut off (compare
Ps 73:17).
38 together--at once; entirely (
Ps 4:8).
39 strength-- (
Ps 27:1;
Ps 28:8).
trouble--straits (
Ps 9:9;
Ps 10:1). In trust and quietness is the salvation of the pious from all foes and all their devices.