Psalms 37:3-4

Stanza of Beth. The antidote to envious discontent is patient trust in Jehovah, and perseverance in the path of duty. Render

Trust in Jehovah, and do good;

Dwell in the land, and follow after faithfulness:

So shalt thou delight thyself in Jehovah,

And he shall grant thee thy heart's petitions.

Remain in the land of promise where God has placed thee: "the land of Jehovah's presence, which has not only a glorious past, but a future rich in promise, and will finally become the inheritance of the true Israel in a more complete manner than under Joshua" (Delitzsch): there, and there alone, shalt thou find thy true satisfaction in Him. It would seem that the poorer Israelites, oppressed or driven from their homes by powerful neighbours (Psalms 36:11), were tempted to seek their fortunes in foreign lands, and forfeit their national and religious privileges. Cp. 1 Samuel 26:19.

Here, as in Psalms 37:9; Psalms 37:11; Psalms 37:22; Psalms 37:29; Psalms 37:34, the landis Canaan, the land of promise. The rendering of A.V. in Psalms 37:9; Psalms 37:11; Psalms 37:22, the earth, is misleading so far as the primary meaning of the Psalm is concerned.

It is best to take Psalms 37:3 as virtually a series of conditions in the form of exhortations, and Psalms 37:4 as the promise depending on the fulfilment of the conditions. The A.V. so shalt thou dwell, &c., is inadmissible on grammatical grounds: and though it is possible to render Delight thyself also&c., in Psalms 37:4, the balance of the clauses, and the parallels in Job 22:26; Isaiah 58:14 are decisive in favour of the rendering, so shalt thou delight thyself&c. The renderings of the last clause of Psalms 37:3, verily thou shalt be fed, or, feed securely(R.V. marg.) are in themselves questionable, and fall to the ground when the true construction of the verses is adopted. With follow after faithfulness(R.V.) cp. Psalms 119:30 (R.V.).