Study

a Bible passage

Click a verse to see commentary

Select a resource above

Psalm 37

Exhortation to Patience and Trust

Of David.

Do not fret because of the wicked;

do not be envious of wrongdoers,

for they will soon fade like the grass,

and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the L ord, and do good;

so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

Take delight in the L ord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the L ord;

trust in him, and he will act.

He will make your vindication shine like the light,

and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

Be still before the L ord, and wait patiently for him;

do not fret over those who prosper in their way,

over those who carry out evil devices.

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.

Do not fret—it leads only to evil.

For the wicked shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the L ord shall inherit the land.

Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.

But the meek shall inherit the land,

and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

The wicked plot against the righteous,

and gnash their teeth at them;

but the L ord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that their day is coming.

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

to bring down the poor and needy,

to kill those who walk uprightly;

their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.

Better is a little that the righteous person has

than the abundance of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the L ord upholds the righteous.

The L ord knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will abide forever;

they are not put to shame in evil times,

in the days of famine they have abundance.

But the wicked perish,

and the enemies of the L ord are like the glory of the pastures;

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

The wicked borrow, and do not pay back,

but the righteous are generous and keep giving;

for those blessed by the L ord shall inherit the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

Our steps are made firm by the L ord,

when he delights in our way;

though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong,

for the L ord holds us by the hand.

I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or their children begging bread.

They are ever giving liberally and lending,

and their children become a blessing.

Depart from evil, and do good;

so you shall abide forever.

For the L ord loves justice;

he will not forsake his faithful ones.

The righteous shall be kept safe forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall inherit the land,

and live in it forever.

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,

and their tongues speak justice.

The law of their God is in their hearts;

their steps do not slip.

The wicked watch for the righteous,

and seek to kill them.

The L ord will not abandon them to their power,

or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

Wait for the L ord, and keep to his way,

and he will exalt you to inherit the land;

you will look on the destruction of the wicked.

I have seen the wicked oppressing,

and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.

Again I passed by, and they were no more;

though I sought them, they could not be found.

Mark the blameless, and behold the upright,

for there is posterity for the peaceable.

But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;

the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.

The salvation of the righteous is from the L ord;

he is their refuge in the time of trouble.

The L ord helps them and rescues them;

he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

23 The footsteps of a man are directed by Jehovah Some join together these two things, first, that the footsteps of the godly are ordered by the grace of God, since men do not in their own strength follow what is just and right, but only in so far as the Spirit of God directs them; and hence the second follows, namely, that God favors and approves what is his own. But David simply continues his commendation of the divine blessing towards the faithful, of whom this is especially worthy of being remembered, that whatever they undertake always has a favorable and happy result. At the same time, the reason why God crowns with prosperity and success all our efforts throughout the course of our life is to be observed, namely, because we attempt nothing which is not pleasing to him. For I consider the copula and, in the second clause of the verse, to be used instead of the causal particle because, and resolve the whole verse in this way: Because the way of the godly is acceptable to God, he directs their footsteps to a happy issue; so that the meaning is, As God sees that the faithful act conscientiously, and do not turn aside from the way which he has appointed, he blesses their efforts. And, certainly, since the prophet speaks generally — and yet it is certain that the faithful only are here spoken of — the second clause must necessarily be considered as spoken by way of exposition. Accordingly, the term way denotes their manner and course of living; as if he had said, that the godly have no other object in view but to frame their lives agreeably to the will of God, and to obey what he commands. The term footsteps I consider as referring to external success.