Psalm 37

Psalm 37 belongs to Book One of the Psalms (Psalms 1–41), and its superscription reads "A Psalm of David." Following Psalm 36, which contrasts the arrogance of the wicked with God's lovingkindness, it teaches how the righteous should live when the wicked prosper. The Hebrew text is an acrostic, a poem whose lines begin with successive letters of the alphabet; in general, each new letter begins a pair of verses.

Outline

• Verses 1–2 Do not fret or be envious because of evildoers, for they will soon wither like grass.
• Verses 3–6 The psalmist urges the reader to trust in the LORD, delight in Him, and commit one's way to Him.
• Verses 7–11 Be still, wait patiently, and cease from anger. The wicked will be cut off, and the meek will inherit the land.
• Verses 12–15 The wicked plot against the righteous, but their own sword and bow turn against them.
• Verses 16–22 The little that the righteous have is better than the abundance of the wicked. The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.
• Verses 23–26 Because the LORD orders a person's steps, the righteous may fall but will not be utterly cast down. The psalmist testifies that even into old age he has never seen the righteous forsaken.
• Verses 27–31 Depart from evil and do good. The law of God is in the heart of the righteous.
• Verses 32–36 Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, the LORD will not abandon them. Even the wicked who flourished like a green tree pass away.
• Verses 37–40 The end of the peaceable man is peace, and the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD.

Key Verses

• Psalm 37:5 "Commit thy way unto the LORD" — this verse expresses the central exhortation of the psalm (Psalm 37:5).
• Psalm 37:11 "But the meek shall inherit the earth" — this verse is echoed in the New Testament Beatitudes.
• Psalm 37:23–24 "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down" — a confession that even when the righteous fall, they are upheld again.

People and Places

• David: The king of Israel named in the superscription as the author of the psalm.
• The LORD: Invoked throughout the psalm as the God who upholds and saves the righteous.
• No specific place names appear. "The land" refers to the land Israel received as its inheritance.

Points for Reflection

• Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth," recalls verse 11 (Matthew 5). Christian interpretation often broadens "inheriting the land" to mean inheriting the kingdom of God.
• Some interpret verse 25 as a promise that believers will always prosper materially. Others hold that it should be read as a general observation typical of wisdom literature and considered alongside texts such as Job that address the suffering of the righteous.
• Psalm 73 treats the same theme of the prosperity of the wicked.

In the Korean Church

Verse 5 is frequently used as a memory verse and is widely featured on cards and framed wall plaques. Verse 7, "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him," is also often quoted in sermons on waiting and perseverance (Psalm 37:7).