psalm-37:3

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Psalms 37:1-40

The Apparent Good Fortune of the Godless Compared with the Believers' True Happiness. A psalm of David, rightly considered one of the most beautiful written by him, called by Luther the garment of the pious, bearing the inscription: "Here is the patience of the saints," Revelation 14:12. v. 1. Fret not thyself, with excitement and anger, because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity, being vexed by their apparent good fortune and prosperity. v. 2. For they... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Psalms 37:1-40

Psalms 37:0A Psalm of David1 Fret not thyself because of evil doers,Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,And wither as the green herb.3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.4 Delight thyself also in the Lord;And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord;Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.6 And he... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Psalms 37:1-17

a Sure Cure for Fretting Psalms 37:1-17 This is an acrostic psalm, grappling with the problem of the inequality of human life and the apparent failure of God to reward His servants and punish His enemies as they deserve. Life and immortality, where we know that the balance will be readjusted, had not then been brought to light, and therefore the solution was far harder before the advent of our Lord than for us. But though the psalmist’s solution is therefore not complete, his teaching of the... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Psalms 37:1-40

This psalm has as its keynote "Fret not." The underlying problem is the prosperity of evil men. It is an astonishment and a perplexity still, troubling many a tried and trusting heart. The psalmist first declares that all such prosperity is short-lived and then tells the secrets of quietness in spite of the problem. There are first positive injunctions. They may be grouped' thus: "Trust in Jehovah," "Delight in Jehovah," "Commit thy way unto Jehovah," ''Rest in Jehovah." Then again the... read more

James Nisbet

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:3

REMEDIES FOR DESPONDENCY‘Trust in the Lord, and do good: dwell in the land and follow after faithfulness.’Psalms 37:3 (R.V.)One of the many dangers that we have to guard against in the spiritual life is the danger of despondency. This depression of soul is no new thing in the history of man. We find it in Holy Scripture. In this thirty-seventh psalm the Psalmist tells us that he himself has seen the ungodly in great power, and moreover flourishing like a green bay-tree. To the devout Jew this... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 37:1-9

1). The Wise Thing To Do Is Not To Fret When The Wicked Appear To Prosper, But Rather To Trust And Rest In YHWH (Aleph to Waw - Psalms 37:1-9 ) . Those who are wise will not allow fretting or anger to possess them in the face of the behaviour of the unrighteous, but will instead trust in YHWH, commit their way to Him, and then confidently rest in Him, for they can know that what they have is permanent, while what the unrighteous have is temporary and will pass away (compare Matthew 6:19-20).... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 37:1-40

XXXVII. An acrostic poem. Its object is to teach patience and hope. The pious Jews, the Hasidim of Psalms 4:3 * who observe the Law strictly, are at present poor and oppressed. They are to wait for the end, when God will separate the good from the bad and will recompense men according to their deserts. Psalms 37:1 agrees almost verbally with Proverbs 29:14. For the “ envy” intended, see Psalms 73:3. Psalms 37:4 a. Render as mg. Godly men find their delight in Yahweh because they do His... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Psalms 37:3

Trust in the Lord; depend upon God’s providence and promise for thy protection and sustentation, for their infidelity is the root of their wickedness. Do good; continue in the practice of that which is good and well-pleasing to God. So shalt thou dwell in the land, i.e. upon this condition shalt dwell safely and quietly in Canaan; as God had oft promised. In the Hebrew it is, dwell in the land, as if, it were a command to abide in Canaan when troubles come, and not to flee to the Philistines or... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Psalms 37:1-40

INTRODUCTIONThis psalm was probably written by David in his old age, and contains his experience in reference to the providential dealings of God with men. It acknowledges the transient prosperity of the wicked, but places in sublime contrast therewith the confidence and destiny of the good, and proves clearly that the latter have little cause to envy the former. It is folly to envy a man because be is clothed in the garb of a king; he may, after all, be only a pauper in disguise.THE TRANSIENT... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - Psalms 37:3

Psalms 37:3 I. There is something very significant in the order of thought in the text. It is, "Trust in the Lord, and do good," not Do good, and trust in the Lord. The Psalmist had his eye on the living root out of which all living goodness springs. Good deeds will have a living greenness and a boundless fertility when the root out of which they spring is planted by the river of the grace and the love of God. II. But what is good? What are good deeds? The Churches are ready enough with their... read more