This psalm is entitled simply “of David,” or “by David” - לדוד _l__e__dâvid_. In the original title there is no intheation, as in Psalms 3:1; Psalms 4:1; Psalms 7; Psalms 16:1; Psalms 17:1, whether it is a “psalm” or some other species of composition, but the idea is merely that it is a “compositio... [ Continue Reading ]
FRET NOT THYSELF - The Hebrew word here means properly to burn, to be kindled, to be inflamed, and is often applied to anger, as if under its influence we become “heated:” Genesis 31:36; Gen 34:7; 1 Samuel 15:11; 2 Samuel 19:43. Hence, it means to fret oneself, to be angry, or indignant. Compare Pro... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY SHALL SOON BE CUT DOWN LIKE THE GRASS - As the grass in the field is cut down by the mower; that is, however prosperous they may seem to be now, they are like the grass in the meadow which is so green and luxuriant, but which is soon to fall under the scythe of the mower. Their prosperity i... [ Continue Reading ]
TRUST IN THE LORD - Confide in him; rest on him. Instead of allowing the mind to be disturbed and sad, because there are wicked men upon the earth; because they are prosperous and apparently happy; because they may injure you in your person or reputation Psalms 37:6, calmly confide in God. Leave all... [ Continue Reading ]
DELIGHT THYSELF ALSO IN THE - Lord. The word rendered “delight” means properly to live delicately and effeminately; then, to be tender or delicate; then, to live a life of ease or pleasure; then, to find delight or pleasure in anything. The meaning here is, that we should seek our happiness in God -... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE - Lord. Margin, as in Hebrew, “Roll thy way upon, the Lord.” Compare the notes at Psalms 22:8, where the marg., as the Hebrew, is, “He rolled himself on the Lord.” See also 1 Peter 5:7. The idea is that of rolling a heavy burden from ourselves on another, or laying it upon hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL BRING FORTH THY RIGHTEOUSNESS AS THE LIGHT - That is, if you are slandered; if your character is assailed, and seems for the thee to be under a cloud; if reproach comes upon you from the devices of wicked people in such a way that you cannot meet it - then, if you will commit the case t... [ Continue Reading ]
REST IN THE LORD - Margin, “Be silent to the Lord.” The Hebrew word means to be mute, silent, still: Job 29:21; Leviticus 10:3; Lamentations 3:28. Hence, to be silent to anyone; that is, to listen to him in silence; and the idea in the phrase here, ““be silent to Jehovah,”” is that of waiting in sil... [ Continue Reading ]
CEASE FROM ANGER - That is, in reference to the fact that there are wicked people, and that they are permitted to carry out their plans. Do not allow your mind to be excited with envious, fretful, wrathful, or murmuring feelings against God because he bears patiently with them, and because they are... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVIL-DOERS SHALL BE CUT OFF - See Psalms 37:2. This will be the termination of their course. They shall not ultimately prosper. God will order all things in equity, and though such men now seem to be prosperous, and to be the objects of the divine favor, yet all this is temporary. The day of ret... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND THE WICKED SHALL NOT BE - The thee will soon come when they shall pass away. The language “shall not be” cannot mean that they will cease to exist altogether, for the connection does not demand this interpretation. All that is intended is that they would be no longer on t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH - See the notes at Psalms 37:3. On the meaning of the word here rendered “meek,” see the notes at Psalms 9:12, where it is rendered “humble.” The word properly denotes those who are afflicted, distressed, needy; then, those who are of humble rank in life; then, t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED PLOTTETH AGAINST THE JUST - Margin, “practiceth.” The Hebrew word means to plot; to lie in wait; to plan; to purpose; to devise. See Psalms 31:13. The meaning is, that wicked people lay their plans against the righteous, but that they will not be able to carry them out, or accomplish them... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL LAUGH AT HIM - See the notes at Psalms 2:4. That is, he will regard all his attempts as vain - as not worthy of serious thought or care. The language is that which we use when there is no fear or apprehension felt. It is not that God is unfeeling, or that he is disposed to deride man,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED HAVE DRAWN OUT THE SWORD - That is, they have prepared themselves with a full purpose to destroy the righteous. AND HAVE BENT THEIR BOW - literally, “have trodden the bow,” in allusion to the method by which the bow was bent: to wit, by placing the foot on it, and drawing the string back... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR SWORD SHALL ENTER INTO THEIR OWN HEART - Their purposes will recoil on themselves; or they will themselves suffer what they had devised for others. See the same sentiment expressed in Psalms 7:15; Psalms 9:15; compare Esther 7:10. AND THEIR BOWS SHALL BE BROKEN - They will be defeated in thei... [ Continue Reading ]
A LITTLE THAT A RIGHTEOUS MAN HATH - literally, “Good is a little to the righteous, more than,” etc. Our translation, however, has expressed the sense with sufficient accuracy. There are two things implied here: (a) that it happens not unfrequently that the righteous have little of the wealth of th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE ARMS OF THE WICKED SHALL BE BROKEN - See the notes at Psalms 10:15. The “arm” is the instrument by which we accomplish a purpose; and the meaning here is, that that will be broken on which the wicked rely, or, in other words, that their plans will fail, and that they will be disappointed - a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD KNOWETH THE DAYS OF THE UPRIGHT - See the notes at Psalms 1:6. He knows how long they will live, and all that will happen to them. He sees their whole course of life; he sees the end. It is implied here that his eyes are on all the allotted days of their life; on all that has been ordained... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED IN THE EVIL THEE - In times of calamity and trouble. The word “ashamed” here refers to disappointment; as when one goes to a fountain or stream for water and finds it dried up. See Job 6:20, note; and Psalms 25:2. The idea here is, that when thees of trouble and calamity co... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE WICKED SHALL PERISH - The general sentiment here is the same as in Psalms 1:1, that the righteous shall be prospered and saved, and that the wicked shall perish. See the notes at Psalms 1:4. The word “perish” here would be applicable to any form of destruction - death here, or death hereafte... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED BORROWETH, AND PAYETH NOT AGAIN - This is probably intended here, not so much to describe the “character” as the “condition” of the wicked. The idea is, that he will be in such a condition of want that he will be under a necessity of borrowing, but will not have the means of repaying what... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SUCH AS BE BLESSED OF HIM - They who are his true friends. SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH - See Psalms 37:9. AND THEY THAT BE CURSED OF HIM - His enemies. SHALL BE CUT OFF - Psalms 37:9. This verse suggests a thought of great importance, in advance of that which had been suggested before. It is that,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD - Margin, “established.” The word rendered “ordered” means to stand erect; to set up; to found; to adjust, fit, direct. The idea here is, that all which pertains to the journey of a good man through life is directed, ordered, fitted, or arranged by the... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH HE FALL - That is, though he is sometimes disappointed; though he is not always successful; though he may be unfortunate - yet this will not be final ruin. The word here does not refer to his falling into “sin,” but into misfortune, disappointment, reverses, calamities. The image is that of a... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE BEEN YOUNG - The idea in this whole passage is, “I myself have passed through a long life. I have had an opportunity of observation, wide and extended. When I was a young man, I looked upon the world around me with the views and feelings which belong to that period of existence; when in middl... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS EVER MERCIFUL - Margin, as in Hebrew, “all the day.” That is, it is his character; he is constantly in the habit of showing kindness. He does not do it at intervals, or only occasionally, but it is this that marks the character of the man. He is known by this. The word “merciful” here means ki... [ Continue Reading ]
DEPART FROM EVIL, AND DO GOOD - This is the sum of all that is said in the psalm; the great lesson inculcated and enforced by all these references to the effects of good and evil conduct. All these results - all that people experience themselves, and all the effects of their conduct on their posteri... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LORD LOVETH JUDGMENT - That is, God loves that which is right; he loves to do right. The idea is, that such a recompense as is here adverted to - that on the one hand, in rewarding with prosperity a pure and upright life - and that, on the other, in cutting off the wicked - is right and prop... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL INHERIT THE LAND - See Psalms 37:3. The word “inherit” suggests the idea that they are heirs, and that God will treat them as His children. AND DWELL THEREIN FOREVER - Psalms 37:3, Psalms 37:18, Psalms 37:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOUTH OF THE RIGHTEOUS SPEAKETH WISDOM - That is, It is a characteristic of the righteous to speak “wise things;” not to utter folly. His conversation is serious, earnest, true, pure; and his words are faithful, kind, and just. This, as a part of human conduct, is one of the reasons why God will... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAW OF HIS GOD IS IN HIS HEART - That is, he loves it; he thinks of it; he makes it the inward rule of his conduct: Deuteronomy 6:6; Psalms 40:8 The word “law” here is a general term for the truth of God - for all that he has revealed to guide men. As long as that truth is in the heart; as long... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WICKED WATCHETH THE RIGHTEOUS ... - Observes closely; looks out for him; has his eye on him, seeking an opportunity to slay him. See the notes at Psalms 10:8. The sense is, that the wicked are the enemies of the righteous, and seek to do them wrong. It is a characteristic of the wicked that they... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD WILL NOT LEAVE HIM IN HIS HAND - Compare 2 Peter 2:9. That is, He will rescue him out of the hand of the wicked; he will not leave him, so that the wicked shall accomplish his purpose. The psalmist here undoubtedly means to refer mainly to what will occur in the present life - to the fact t... [ Continue Reading ]
WAIT ON THE LORD - See the notes at Psalms 37:9. Let your hope be from the Lord; depend wholly upon Him; have such confidence in Him as to expect His gracious interposition in your behalf. AND KEEP HIS WAY - Or, walk in the path which He commands. Do not turn from that at any thee. Do not allow any... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SEEN - I have had an opportunity, in my long life Psalms 37:25, of witnessing the accuracy of the statement just made, that a righteous man may live to see a confirmation of the truth that wickedness, however prosperous the wicked man may be, will lead to ultimate ruin - as I have had an oppo... [ Continue Reading ]
YET HE PASSED AWAY - Compare the notes at Job 20:5. The allusion here, of course, is to the man, and not to the tree, though the grammatical construction might refer to either. The idea is that he passed out of view - “he was gone;” he had no permanent abode on earth, but with all his pomp and splen... [ Continue Reading ]
MARK THE PERFECT MAN - In contrast with what happens to the wicked. The word “perfect” here is used to designate a righteous man, or a man who serves and obeys God. See the notes at Job 1:1. The word “mark” here means “observe, take notice of.” The argument is, “Look upon that man in the end, in con... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE TRANSGRESSORS - Sinners; violators of the law of God. SHALL BE DESTROYED TOGETHER - The word “together” here - יחדּו _yach__e__dâh_ - means properly “a union of them;” then, together - either: (a) in one place, Genesis 13:6 - or (b) at one time, Psalms 4:8; or (c) all as one, Psalms 14:... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE SALVATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS OF THE LORD - Or, salvation comes to the righteous from the Lord. While the wicked are cut off, the righteous shall be safe. There are evidently two ideas here: (1) that there will be salvation to the righteous, while the wicked are cut off; (2) that this come... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SHALL HELP THEM - He will interpose to defend them when they are in danger and in trouble. AND DELIVER THEM - Rescue them from their dangers, and from the power of the wicked. HE SHALL DELIVER THEM FROM THE WICKED - From all the attempts of the wicked to destroy them. AND SAVE THEM -... [ Continue Reading ]