Psalm 37

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Intro:

“The psalm stands firmly within the tradition of Wisdom and should be interpreted as an instructional poem.”

The Book of Psalms Psalm 37: Advice for the Upright

“The psalm stands firmly within the tradition of Wisdom and should be interpreted as an instructional poem.” This psalm offers advice for the way one is to live, often contrasting the LORD’s way with the way of the wicked. Like other wisdom literature, it offers comfort, stressing that the ways of the wicked do not lead to happiness and prosperity, but to death and destruction. It reminds those hearing it to hold fast even in the face of a world where the wicked seem to do better than the faithful. The psalm is also of the acrostic type with all of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order, usually every other line, and literally covers everything from ʾālep to tāw.

Like other wisdom literature, it offers comfort, stressing that the ways of the wicked do not lead to happiness and prosperity, but to death and destruction. It reminds those hearing it to hold fast even in the face of a world where the wicked seem to do better than the faithful.

The psalm is also of the acrostic type with all of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order, usually every other line, and literally covers everything from ʾālep to tāw. However, the fact that it is composed of a number of short proverbs makes it very difficult to subdivide into sections.

Its theme is how we should respond to the apparent success of the wicked. Their prosperity raises questions about the sovereignty of God. Is he really in control?

Adeyemo, T. (2006). Africa Bible commentary (p. 650). Nairobi, Kenya; Grand Rapids, MI: WordAlive Publishers; Zondervan.

Points of Discussion:

P1. Do Not Fret (v. 1-11)

P2. The Wicked and their Fate(v. 12-15)

P3. Better are the Righteous (v. 16-26)

P4. Advice for the Righteous (v. 27-33)

P5. God will help the Righteous (v. 34-40)

P1. Do Not Fret (v. 1-11)

Verses 3–6 speak of how to live an alternate life, placing trust in God and believing in God’s promises. It is a life lived in trust of God instead of anger about the wicked.

Verses 7–8 return to the theme of anger, again stressing it will lead down the wrong path. Waiting upon the Lord is a better choice than letting your anger burn against the wicked and their schemes. Craigie notes, “because such anger is futile, bringing only grief, and because … the evil will eventually be cut off.”

Verses 9 and 11 tell that it is the faithful ones who will inherit the land, while v. 10 stresses that the wicked will simply not exist. ...the wicked are simply out of existence, gone. It is the oppressed that will inherit the land and have shalom in great abundance (v. 11).

As with all of the wisdom or instructional poetry, being wicked seems like the stupidest choice one can make. You may choose to trust in God and inherit the land or forsake God, trust yourself, and disappear!

Do not fret. Verses 1–2 establish the perspective and tone that dominate the entire psalm. The psalm opens offering comfort and encouragement.

They admonish the reader/listener not to be concerned because of the apparent success and invulnerability of the wicked, because their ultimate destiny is defeat and destruction.

Verses 1–2 establish the perspective and tone that dominate the entire psalm. They admonish the reader/listener not to be concerned because of the apparent success and invulnerability of the wicked, because their ultimate destiny is defeat and destruction. The phrase “do not fret” (ḥrh [“be angry, indignant; fly into a passion”]) appears three times in this section, once at the beginning and twice near the end (37:7, 8). We must not let the seeming prosperity of the “wicked” and “those who do wrong” undermine our trust in the just character and sovereign power of Yahweh. The “fretting” that is discouraged is not just moral indignation but a desire that the cohesive moral power of the universe, which Yahweh represents, remains intact.

The phrase “do not fret” (ḥrh [“be angry, indignant; fly into a passion”]) appears three times in this section, once at the beginning and twice near the end (37:7, 8). David’s admonitions, do not fret (repeated vv. 1, 7, 8) and be not envious toward wrongdoers, addressed the problem of God’s justice—how can a good God allow good things to happen to bad people, and bad things to good people? The NRSV and NIV’s “do not fret” is weak, for the command is to “not let your anger burn” over the wicked who are transient (here for a short time).

We must not let the seeming prosperity of the “wicked” and “those who do wrong” undermine our trust in the just character and sovereign power of Yahweh.

The “fretting” that is discouraged is not just moral indignation but a desire that the cohesive moral power of the universe, which Yahweh represents, remains intact.

They will soon wither. As encouragement to his readers/listeners the psalmist offers a striking image taken from the local agricultural experience of shepherds roaming the countryside in search of grass for their animals. With the onset of the early spring rains, the arid hills spring quickly into a lush green covering of grass. Almost as quickly, however, the heat of late spring and summer parch this fodder into a brittle brown. The wicked ought not cause undue concern because their prosperity is just as tenuous as the spring grass that is “here today, gone tomorrow.” The image of withering grass recurs frequently in the psalms—most often as an indication of the tenuous, transient nature of human life in contrast to the eternal constancy that is Yahweh.

Following the negatively stated admonition of verse 1, the psalmist shifts (37:3–6) to a series of positively stated imperative directives to the hearers.

Verses 3–6 speak of how to live an alternate life, placing trust in God and believing in God’s promises. It is a life lived in trust of God instead of anger about the wicked.

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

They are called to “trust” (37:3, 5) in Yahweh, “dwell” (37:3) in the land, “delight” (37:4) in Yahweh, and consequently “commit” (37:5) their way to him. As a result of turning their negative anger into passionate commitment to Yahweh, they will receive from God security and safe pasture (37:3), the “desires” of their hearts (37:4), and clear, public vindication against the wicked (37:6).

Verses 7–8 return to the theme of anger, again stressing it will lead down the wrong path. Waiting upon the Lord is a better choice than letting your anger burn against the wicked and their schemes. Craigie notes, “because such anger is futile, bringing only grief, and because … the evil will eventually be cut off.”

A pair of balanced statements, each involving two positive imperatives and the call not to fret (37:7–8), leads to a clear statement of the future destiny of the wicked (37:9). The psalmist cautions the reader to “be still” and “wait” for Yahweh rather than fret over the successful schemes of the wicked (37:7). In the balancing verse the reader must “refrain from anger” and “turn from wrath” since fretting can only lead to evil (37:8).

This unit concludes with the basis of a positive response to the psalmist’s demands. In two balanced verses, he repeats the opening theme with a negative and positive inducement to the reader. The evil have only “a little while” before they are “cut off” and are “no more,” but the “meek” who “hope in the Lord” will “inherit the land” (37:10–11).

37:1–15. David’s admonitions, do not fret (repeated vv. 1, 7, 8) and be not envious toward wrongdoers, addressed the problem of God’s justice—how can a good God allow good things to happen to bad people, and bad things to good people?

Prosperity (Heb., shalom) is better translated “peace,” for it refers to spiritual (inner) as well as material-physical (outer) completeness (see the comment on ). Jesus included this text in His Sermon on the Mount message (see comment on ).

Wilson, G. H. (2002). Psalms (Vol. 1, pp. 603–604). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

1–11

Rydelnik, M., Vanlaningham, M., Barbieri, L. A., Boyle, M., Coakley, J., Dyer, C. H., … Zuber, K. D. (2014). Psalms. In M. A. Rydelnik & M. Vanlaningham (Eds.), The moody bible commentary (p. 792). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

Verses 9 and 11 tell that it is the faithful ones who will inherit the land, while v. 10 stresses that the wicked will simply not exist. ...the wicked are simply out of existence, gone. It is the oppressed that will inherit the land and have shalom in great abundance (v. 11).

As with all of the wisdom or instructional poetry, being wicked seems like the stupidest choice one can make. You may choose to trust in God and inherit the land or forsake God, trust yourself, and disappear!

P2. The Wicked and their Fate(v. 12-15)

The matter is not settled, however, as these verses turn to the acts of the wicked ones and their threats against the others. But even here, God has the upper hand and will turn their schemes and swords and bows. They will be felled by their weapons, be those real implements of harm or metaphors for their schemes and their lives.

The Hebrew text itself does fluctuate here between the singular wicked one and wicked ones as it does several other places in the psalm. This is not uncommon in ancient poetry; most modern translations smooth it out by making all references plural, but this is unnecessary. There are often singular and plural threats in our world, and there is no reason to smooth out those realities.

The conclusion of the opening section provides the transition to the second, which describes the ultimate futility of the plots and schemes of the wicked and assures the faithful that Yahweh’s righteous sovereignty is still in charge.

Four illustrations of the futility of the wicked’s attempts at self-power (37:12–13, 14–15, 20, 21–22) bracket a contrasting exhortation to righteousness and blamelessness (37:16–19). The purpose is to contrast the secure future of the righteous with the certain disappearance of the wicked.

While the wicked may plot against the righteous (37:12) and even cause them trouble and pain (“gnash their teeth at them”), Yahweh remains unimpressed and unconcerned, even laughing at their pretense to power—in much the same way the enthroned God of 2:4 emitted a deep mocking guffaw from the heavens at the rebellious imaginings of the kings of the earth.

Jacobson, R. A., & Tanner, B. (2014). Book One of the Psalter: . In E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, & R. L. Hubbard Jr. (Eds.), The Book of Psalms (p. 353). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

God knows, as the psalmist understands and declares to the hearer, that the days of the wicked are already numbered (37:13). The wicked may draw their sword and bow to oppress the poor and needy (37:14), but the evil they intend will return on them decisively (37:15).

Wilson, G. H. (2002). Psalms (Vol. 1, p. 605). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

P3. Better are the Righteous (v. 16-26)

P4. Advice for the Righteous (v. 27-33)

P5. God will help the Righteous (v. 34-40)