Psalms 37

By David.

Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the LORD, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

Also delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD. Trust also in him, and he will do this:

he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.

For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.

But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.

The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright on the path.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken.

Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

The LORD knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the LORD shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish— vanish like smoke.

The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

A man’s steps are established by the LORD. He delights in his way.

Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with his hand.

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.

All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.

Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.

For the LORD loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.

The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.

The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.

The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him.

The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait for the LORD, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

The LORD helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This psalm is a wisdom meditation on the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the trials of the righteous, urging trust in God’s just governance of the world. It calls the righteous not to fret over evildoers but to rest in the LORD’s faithfulness, who will ultimately vindicate the humble and cut off the wicked. Rooted in confidence in divine justice, the psalm blends exhortation, observation, and promise, framing the moral order of God’s world.

Flow.

Begins with a call to refrain from envy toward the wicked, asserting their fleeting prosperity will end swiftly like withering grass (v. 1–2).
Shifts to positive duties: trust, delight, and commitment to the LORD, with promises that He will establish the righteous and bring their righteousness to light (v. 3–6).
Reiterates the need for patience and self-control, warning that anger and fretting lead to evil, while the wicked will soon disappear (v. 7–11).
Contrasts the doomed schemes of the wicked with God’s laughter and coming judgment, followed by repeated affirmations of the righteous inheriting the land and being upheld by the LORD (v. 12–40).

Connections.
Following chapter 36, which contrasts the wicked’s self-assured rebellion with God’s boundless lovingkindness toward the righteous, this psalm deepens the theme of divine justice amid earthly inequities. It prepares the way for chapter 38—a personal lament marked by suffering and penitence—by reinforcing the foundation of trust in God’s timing and moral order, even when circumstances seem chaotic. The confidence expressed here undergirds the raw honesty of lament that follows.

What it teaches.
The psalm teaches that God governs the world with justice, ensuring that the wicked, though momentarily prospering, will perish, while the righteous who trust in Him will inherit the land and dwell securely forever (WCF 7.3; HC LD 10). It emphasizes that the LORD establishes the steps of the righteous and preserves them in famine and trouble, demonstrating His covenant faithfulness (WCF 12.2; Canons of Dort, V.8). The assurance that “the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD” reflects the deeper biblical truth that refuge in God is the only sure ground of hope (HC LD 1).

Apply.
Fix your eyes on the LORD’s faithfulness rather than the fleeting success of the wicked, and live from the peace of His promised justice.

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