I. (37:1–11) Do Not Be Envious of Evildoers. The opening stanza sets forth the overall theme: “Fret not yourself because of evildoers,” especially when it seems that they are prospering; “Trust in the Lord, and do good.” This introduces the stanza, which is addressed to “you” (singular), that is, to each person in the singing congregation. But it also introduces the psalm; the rest of the psalm expounds how not to give in to fretting or envy.

In wisdom the term “wicked” usually designates a member of God’s people who is noteworthy for his rejection of the covenant. Such a person can be a grievously bad example for the youth; he also defiles the people by what he says (Prov. 15:28) and the deeds he plans (Prov. 17:23). In Proverbs, as in this psalm, the faithful expect such persons to fail and God’s purposes to be vindicated (Prov. 18:3), though both acknowledge that such vindication may be delayed and that, at least for a time, the wicked might prosper (Prov. 28:12). Hence the admonition not to fret or envy, where fretting and envying are the most natural responses of the faithful; the psalm repeats its advice (“fret not”) in Psalm 37:7–8.

The reason not to fret is the assurance that just outcomes will indeed come about in their proper time. The evildoers “will soon fade like the grass” (v. 2) and “shall be cut off” (v. 9), while the faithful—those who “wait for the Lord”—“shall inherit the land” (v. 9; i.e., they will remain after the Lord purges the wicked from the land; cf. Prov. 2:21–22). Those who “befriend faithfulness” (Ps. 37:3) will “delight” themselves “in the Lord” (v. 4), “commit” their “way” to him (v. 5), “be still before” him (v. 7), and “wait patiently for him” (v. 7); thus they will be able to “refrain from anger” (v. 8; i.e., from the resentment they would naturally feel toward the prosperous godless).

The wording of verse 1 is almost the same as that of Proverbs 24:19 (“Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked”). The very next verse in Proverbs concerns the future of the wicked, which also connects to our psalm (cf. comment on 37:32–40 [at vv. 37–38]).

Verse 2 uses the image of plants drying up after a brief existence—a common metaphor for transience (cf. Job 14:2; Pss. 103:15; 129:6; Isa. 40:7–8; Matt. 6:30; James 1:10–11). In Palestine grass and green herbs will green up during the rainy season (which ends around Passover), and some may survive for a while on the dew that comes from the Mediterranean Sea. As the summer wears on, however, the heat and drought take their toll, and the green turns brown. The Lord’s purposes are as relentless as the weather cycle.

The ESV gives a reasonable rendering of the second line of Psalm 37:3 (“befriend faithfulness”) and offers other defensible translations (“feed on faithfulness” or “find safe pasture”; cf. ESV mg.).316 In any event, the idea is for the faithful to devote himself to trusting the Lord and living on the Promised Land without wavering.

The second line of verse 4 (“and he will give you the desires of your heart”) may be referring to the feeling of desire (giving the sense, “God will shape your heart so that it desires the right things”) or to the things the heart desires (“he will give you what your heart desires”). The word translated “desires” has the nuance “requests,” and thus the second option is better.317 It is safe to say this to those who embrace the advice of this psalm, as their hearts will desire the right things (cf. vv. 16, 31).

The faithful are to “commit” their “way” to the Lord (v. 5), which is clarified in the second line: “Trust in him, and he will act.” The idea is that they will set themselves to leaning into their lives in a way that fits the gracious arrangements God has given them in the covenant; in so doing they can be confident that God will bring about their ultimate vindication (v. 6). This leads into the urging of verse 7, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” The verb translated “be still” often carries the nuance of “be silent” (cf. 4:4; 30:12), but it can sometimes have the idea of “cease activity” (cf. “still,” Job 30:27; “ceasing,” Ps. 35:15). In the context here (“fret not”) the second sense is more likely; “be still” is the alternative to taking matters into one’s own hands, expressing frustration with the evildoers by striking out against them. Rather, the faithful are to “wait patiently,” devoting themselves to the kind of life that honors God. (Hence “being still” and “waiting” are not unqualified inactivity. Certainly for those in government inactivity would be wrong; cf. Prov. 31:8–9, the duties of a good king.)

The terms “be cut off” and “inherit the land” (Ps. 37:9) reappear together in verses 22, 28–29, 34. To be “cut off” generally refers to divine judgment, which removes a person from the people of God (e.g., Gen. 17:14; Lev. 7:20).318 In this psalm it looks forward to the “future of the wicked” (Ps. 37:38), which is likely his afterlife (since the “future” and “hope” occur together in Prov. 23:18; 24:14, and the likely referent is the afterlife).319 In the near context the impending disappearance of the wicked comes into view (Ps. 37:10, 20, 36), but the death of their bodies is not enough for God’s setting of things right. Wisdom literature recognizes that God may wait until the afterlife to display fully his distinction between the faithful and the godless (cf. comments on Psalms 49; 73).320

The psalm repeats the expression “inherit the land” as well: though the wicked suffer being cut off, the faithful will receive the proper blessing. This expression comes from the promises to Abraham that his descendants would “inherit or possess the land of Canaan” (cf. Gen. 15:7; Lev. 20:24).321 Perhaps the image that lies behind this is that once the wicked are removed, the faithful, remaining in the land, will be exhibited as the true heirs of God’s promises to Abraham. Seen this way, it becomes possible to see this as an eschatological vindication, much as in Proverbs 2:21–22.322

The third beatitude (Matt. 5:5) uses the Greek of the first half of Psalm 37:11323 to describe benefits that are revealed fully at the last day—which, as the discussion above shows, fits with the tenor of Psalm 37, which focuses on ultimate outcomes, not simply this-worldly benefits. As Delitzsch puts it, “Meekness, which is content with God, and renounces all earthly stays, will at length become the inheritor of the land, yea of the earth.”324

II. (37:12–20) The Lord Thwarts the Schemes of the Wicked. This stanza focuses on the ways in which the “wicked” person may hatch all manner of schemes “against the righteous” person (v. 12), but God will see to it that they come to nothing and that “the wicked will perish,” unfulfilled (v. 20). The faithful who take this to heart can live in contentment, confident that “the Lord knows the days of the blameless” (v. 18) and thus can provide for them even “in the days of famine” (v. 19).

These verses envision a situation in which the wicked aim for superiority and thus plot to “bring down the poor and needy”—either by exploiting them or outright oppressing them—or even “to slay” them. These poor and needy are the most vulnerable, whom the Pentateuch regularly insists must be protected (Deut. 24:14; Ps. 72:4, 12; Prov. 14:31; 31:9, 20). Often in such cases the poor and needy will be assumed to be among the faithful (Ps. 86:1), or at least in the special care of those faithful who might have resources.

Psalm 37:14–15 uses the reversal of fortunes, or poetic justice, motif found elsewhere: the schemes and weapons of the wicked end up ruining the wicked themselves (cf. Pss. 7:15; 9:15; 35:8; 57:6; Prov. 26:27; 28:10). The idea is that the reversal displays God’s superior justice and wisdom, and this is aesthetically, morally, and emotionally satisfying.

Psalm 37:16 uses a form that we also find in Proverbs, namely, “better than” (esp. Prov. 15:16; 16:8; 19:1; 28:6; but also 15:17; 16:16, 19; 17:1; 21:9, 19; 22:1; 25:24; 27:5). All these proverbs take what at first appears to be of lesser value (here, poverty and righteousness) and clarify that ultimately the item of apparently lesser value is to be chosen over what might have seemed more valuable (here, abundance and wickedness). That is, the form helps people to cut through deceptive appearances to see the true value of things.

Psalm 37:16–17 employs words in a mirror fashion: righteous/wicked/wicked/righteous. This shifts attention from the eventual downfall of the wicked (vv. 12–15) to the preservation of the faithful (vv. 18–19), and then we return to the wicked (v. 20).

This stanza shows that biblical wisdom does not have a simplistic “just trust God and you will be well off” mentality; it speaks to the very challenging life situations that God’s people often face, clarifying that the faithful might have to wait a long time for vindication.

III. (37:21–31) Therefore Commit Yourself to Doing Good. This stanza celebrates how the contentment and security that the faithful enjoy free them to devote themselves to doing what pleases the Lord. In particular, this goodness is oriented toward the well-being of the community of God’s people, a common theme in Proverbs.

The stanza comprises two subsections. The mention of generosity brackets the first (vv. 21–26); the faithful person uses his resources for the benefit of others. In the agrarian setting of ancient Israel, this would involve interest-free loans to a neighbor who had endured a bad year (Ex. 22:25; Ps. 112:5; Prov. 19:17) or outright gifts (Prov. 28:27). In either case, the giver must “risk” not having the use of whatever he has given or lent, but he can rest secure that the Lord will provide for him and for his family. Indeed, for such a person his “children” (or “offspring”) will “become a blessing” (Ps. 37:26). That is, the heirs of God’s covenant with Abraham (Gen. 17:7) will be the vehicle of God’s blessing to the community of God’s people, and through them to the rest of the world (Gen. 12:2–3). A person who sings this will learn to like generosity!

Psalm 37:25 does not deny there may be temporary setbacks for the “righteous” or his “children”; the focus is on the ultimate outcomes (as in the mention of being “young” and then “old,” giving a long-term perspective). After all, it comes right after verse 24, which addresses the possibility that a faithful person might “fall”! The important point is that, with the Lord’s help, such a person can regain his balance. Further, the observation takes place within Israel, which is under God’s special care; now, as the people of God spread over the world, there is more opportunity for them to suffer under the evil of those who oppose them.

The second subsection (vv. 27–31) considers doing good more generally, as introduced by verse 27. This doing of good also includes service to the community, in this case through the wise words the righteous person can say due to his hearty embrace of the covenant (“the law”). Verse 28 repeats elements of the previous subsection: the Lord will not forsake the faithful (cf. v. 25), while the “children” (“offspring”) of the wicked, unlike those of the faithful, “shall be cut off” (cf. v. 26).

These two subsections together build confidence in the faithful and also foster a liking for an ideal, so that the people give themselves willingly to be shaped by it.

IV. (37:32–40) The Lord Protects the Righteous from the Plots of the Wicked. A common theme in the Psalms is that, while the faithful are always under threat from the devices of the wicked, they may trust the Lord to preserve them. The section sustains a contrast between the “wicked” (vv. 32, 34, 35, 38, 40; cf. “transgressors,” v. 38), with their schemes against the faithful, and the “righteous” (vv. 32, 39; cf. “blameless,” “upright,” and “man of peace,” v. 37), whom the Lord rescues. The wicked or their future will be “cut off” (vv. 34, 38; cf. comment on 37:1–11 [at v. 9]).

“The Lord will not abandon” the faithful to the “power” of the wicked (vv. 32–33). The situation here is one in which the wicked makes (false) accusations against the faithful—which, if believed, will result in a death sentence. Making such accusations (e.g., 1 Kings 21:8–14; Jer. 26:7–9) is widely condemned in the Bible (Ex. 23:1–3, 6–8; Lev. 19:16; Deut. 19:16–19; Prov. 25:18). The stress here, as in the rest of the psalm, is on the long run: though in the near term the “wicked, ruthless man” might seem to be getting away with his violence and oppression, “spreading himself like a green laurel tree,” in time he will fail (Ps. 37:35–36).325 The Lord will ensure that both the righteous and the wicked receive their proper reward in due time—probably in the world to come (vv. 37–38; cf. comment on 37:1–11 [at v. 9]).

With these thoughts the psalm builds confidence in the faithful, so that they will “take refuge in” the Lord (vv. 39–40) and thus hold steady in their faithfulness, even in the midst of provocations and perplexities.