General considerations for the study of Psalm 37

Among the most beautiful and powerful psalms in the Holy Bible is Psalm 37. It addresses several issues, such as trust in God, for example. There are exactly 150 psalms in Scripture, but none of them emphasize trust in God as much as Psalm 37. There is a very interesting fact about psalms: they can be considered as sung prayers.

They often express various emotions, such as joy, sadness, indignation and other things. Thus, they bring comfort and strength for the difficult moments in life, besides presenting wise words for various situations. Want to know more about this powerful Psalm and understand what each verse means? Check it out in this article!

Psalm 37 and its meaning

Psalm 37 is one of the most beautiful psalms in the Holy Bible. It presents advice and words that encourage trust in God. In addition, it is a psalm that combats envy and invites the reader to rest. Learn more about it below!

Psalm 37

Psalm 37 is one of the best known psalms in the Bible. There are verses that even people who have never read the Bible know. Among the central themes of this one of the most beautiful psalms in the Holy Scriptures are: trust in God's goodness and the fact that He has the best for people, God's protection, and the ability to wait on the Lord.

All of these themes are addressed in Psalm 37 and are extremely relevant to the lives of all people. This psalm has already strengthened and will continue to strengthen many people who are going through difficult situations.

Meaning and explanation of Psalm 37

Among the many themes presented in Psalm 37 are trust, joy, and surrender. This psalm is an invitation to trust in God despite the circumstances. Many people talk about trust, but few actually put it into practice.

Another point emphasized by Psalm 37 is that it is not enough just to trust God, one must express confidence in him with joy. It is not God's will for his children to trust him, but to be downcast because of it. Finally, there is one more point emphasized by this psalm, which is surrendering one's own ways to God, trusting that he will do the rest.

Trust and perseverance from Psalm 37

Psalm 37 is one of the best known of the 150 psalms in the Bible. It features themes such as trusting God, persevering in your ways, giving your life completely to your Creator, the joy of trusting him, and also the ability to be patient and wise to wait. This is a powerful psalm that shows the reward the righteous will receive if they are faithful to their beliefs.

Thus, Psalm 37 presents a contrast between the righteous and the wicked, as well as presenting the future that lies ahead for each of them. The world is full of injustice, so this psalm is highly recommended for people who feel wronged.

Interpretation of Psalm 37 by verses

Psalm 37 has some very meaningful and empowering verses for anyone. People in distressing situations can find encouragement in the words of this psalm. Learn more about this powerful prayer in the following topics!

Verses 1 to 6

Do not be angry with evil-doers, nor envious of those who practice lawlessness.

For they shall soon be cut down like grass, and wither as the green herb.

Trust in the Lord and do good; you will dwell in the land, and truly be fed.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he will grant you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will do it.

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

The opening six verses of Psalm 37 clearly allude to the dissatisfaction of the righteous over the prosperity of evil-doers. However, this indignation is temporary, for evildoers will receive due reward for their evil deeds. The hope of the righteous should be in the fact that God is just.

Only those who obey God and give themselves wholly to Him will truly prosper. The prosperity of the wicked is fleeting. The heart of the righteous should rejoice in the Lord, in knowing that He is good and righteous forever. Besides, material prosperity is not everything. One must have a pure heart and trust in God.

Verses 7 to 11

Rest in the LORD, and hope in him: fret not thyself because of him that prospereth in his way, because of the man that bringeth crafty devices to pass.

Put away anger, and forsake wrath: be not in any wise unrighteous to do evil.

For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who hope in the Lord shall inherit the land.

For yet a little while, and the wicked one shall not be: thou shalt look unto his place, and he shall not appear.

But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Verses 7 to 11 continue a theme from verses 1 to 6, that often righteous people are outraged by the prosperity of wicked people. However, the psalmist's invitation is for the benefactors not to be angered by this and to wait on the Lord, for He will bring about justice.

Thus, Psalm 37, in this passage, also shows a warning, for feeling hatred for evildoers makes good people similar to them. Therefore, the righteous must wait for the justice that comes from God. Meek people, who put aside hatred against their fellow men, will inherit the earth, as one of the verses of this psalm says.

Verses 12 to 15

The wicked plots against the righteous, and gnashes his teeth against him.

The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

The wicked have drawn their sword and drawn their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay those of upright conduct.

But their sword shall enter into their hearts, and their bows shall be broken.

In the above passage from Psalm 37, the psalmist presents the wicked raging against the righteous and plotting plans against them. Wicked people are capable of anything to destroy others and see their plans come to fruition. However, the righteous can feel secure because, in one of verses 12 to 15, Psalm 37 shows that God is watching the wicked's misconduct and will act at the right time.

Thus, although the wicked do not now raise swords and bows against the righteous, they still plot plans and try in every way to cause harm to good people. However, the truth is that their plans will be thwarted, and the evil that they do will return to themselves.

Verses 16 to 20

Better is the little that the righteous has, than the riches of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall stand for ever.

They shall not be put to shame in the days of evil, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall fade away, and smoke shall consume them.

Verses 16 to 20 of Psalm 37 have a very important message. Many people consider that the money and possessions they have are just a result of their own efforts, but the truth is that if God had not allowed and given them the strength and intelligence to work, they would never get what they have. Therefore, it is the Lord who upholds the righteous.

Moreover, the righteous are seeking a treasure and possessions greater than those on earth, where everything is perishable. Therefore, the prosperity of the wicked is fleeting, but that of the righteous will be eternal. Only God can provide an eternal treasure for His children.

Verses 21 to 26

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not back: but the righteous hath compassion, and giveth.

For those whom he blesses shall inherit the earth, and those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

A good man's steps are confirmed by the Lord, and he delights in his path.

Though he fall, he shall not be cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

He always sympathizes, and lends, and his seed is blessed.

Throughout Psalm 37, the divinely inspired psalmist makes several comparisons between the character of the righteous and the wicked. The truth is that those who do not obey God's commandments bring curses upon themselves. This is because God's command serves to protect human beings from evil.

From the moment that the wicked disobey God, he will reap the fruit of his own actions. With regard to the righteous, God is always ready to give them strength, so that they can sustain themselves. The psalmist, reporting the goodness of God through the generations, says that he has never seen a righteous person forsaken, because it is the Lord who sustains them.

Verses 27 to 31

Depart from evil, and do good; and thou shalt have a dwelling place for ever.

For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints: they are preserved for ever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell in it forever.

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom: his tongue speaketh judgment.

The law of your God is in your heart; your steps shall not slip.

The psalmist, in verses 27-31 of Psalm 37, invites the righteous to turn even more away from evil. The reward for those who choose to walk uprightly is an eternal dwelling place. In the next verse, the psalmist extols God's goodness in not forsaking his children and also preserving them.

However, the fate of the wicked is different: unfortunately, they have chosen the path of perdition and will reap the fruits of their evil deeds. The following verses of Psalm 37 also report that the mouth of the righteous utters wise words and that God's commandments are in their hearts, so their steps do not slip.

Verses 32 to 34

The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

The Lord will not leave him in your hands, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: thou shalt see it when the wicked are cut off.

A wicked person is a person who lives to do evil deeds and thinks that whatever he does is of no consequence, so he tends to become more and more wicked. However, the truth is that God will judge the deeds of such people and repay them with justice.

Therefore, Psalm 37 extends an invitation to the faithful, that they may trustfully wait on God, for He will exalt them and show His righteousness. But for this to happen, the righteous need to preserve their own conduct.

Verses 35 to 40

I have seen the wicked with great power spread out like the green tree in the homeland.

But he passed by and no longer appears; I looked for him, but he could not be found.

Note the sincere man, and consider the upright; for the end of such a man is peace.

And (as for) those who transgress, they shall be destroyed at once, and the relics of the wicked shall be destroyed.

But the salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

And the LORD will help them and deliver them; he will deliver them from the wicked and save them, because they trust in him.

According to verses 35 to 40, it is not possible to deny the fact that many wicked people end up prospering greatly in all aspects. But the truth is that this prosperity is fleeting, for the time will come when justice will be done and the reward of the wicked will not be good, for they will reap what they have sown.

In contrast to this fact, no matter how much they suffer on this earth, the righteous will enjoy eternal peace. As for those who transgress the commandments of God, their end will be destruction, but the righteous will be saved, for God will be their Fortress in the most distressing times.

Trust, delight and deliver in Psalm 37

Looking at the verses in Psalm 37, you will notice that there are three words that stand out in the middle of the verses, they are: trust, delight, and deliver. They are the basis of the entire discussion of Psalm 37. Learn more in the topics that follow!

Trust in the Lord and do good

Trust in the Lord and do good; you will dwell in the land, and truly be fed.

Psalm 37:3

First of all, Psalm 37 shows that it is necessary to understand what it means to trust in the Lord. Many people find it difficult to put their trust in God. This is because they are often unfamiliar with Him. However, even if a human being cannot see God, it is possible to perceive His care and protection.

This leads many people to trust God, surrendering their whole lives to him. Believing that God is good and that he is always seeking the best for his children is an expression of the truest trust in him. As an expression of trust in God, the righteous do good, not to be rewarded, but because they know that God is good.

The word trust in Psalm 37

Trust in the Lord and do good; you will dwell in the land, and truly be fed.

Psalm 37:3

There are many people who fail to understand the essence of the word "trust" in Psalm 37. The truth is that this word indicates a full surrender to God. It is important to note that there is a big difference between just believing in God and putting your trust in him.

Therefore, the essence of the word "trust" in Psalm 37 is a complete surrender of one's being to God, trusting that He will do the best. It is not always easy to surrender control of one's life to someone else, but when you have closeness to God, it becomes an easy task.

What does trust really mean?

According to Psalm 37, it is of utmost importance to understand that trusting does not only refer to belief in God and it is not enough to just believe that He exists, for one must relate to Him so that a bond of trust can be built. After all, it is only possible to genuinely trust God when one knows His character.

Therefore, to trust God is to surrender your whole life into His hands and trust that He can and will take care of all your plans. It is to believe that God will not fail and will keep His word. In order for trust to be built, it is necessary to know God, and this can only be done through the study of Scripture.

How to know and trust God

Although God is someone personal, He is in a light inaccessible to human beings. This causes the question to arise, "How can we know and trust God?" Although it is not possible to see the Creator, there is Someone who has come to this earth and revealed Himself to all mankind.

Thus, Jesus is the supreme manifestation and revelation of God. It is in Christ that human beings are able to know God. It is through Jesus Christ that we can know God, His character and His righteousness.

The concept of delight

The word "delight", which appears several times in the Holy Bible and also in Psalm 37, means to be pleased, to take pleasure in God. However, this word has an even deeper meaning, which is that of nursing. This means that "delighting in God" means that the human being needs to take pleasure in him and place himself as a child in his lap.

The human being is small, so he needs God to care for him and protect him. Delight in God is something primordial in order to establish a relationship with Him, for it shows dependence on Him and also a longing for pure and genuine spiritual milk.

Desires of Christ, of the Spirit and not of selfishness

When human beings know God's character, they come to trust Him, His words, and His promises. This leads to a trusting relationship. From the moment one trusts God, it is also possible to take pleasure in being close to Him.

Therefore, the relationship with God is composed of stages, and in all of them, what should prevail in the human heart is the desire to serve and obey God. However, this is not always what happens, because selfishness is present in the human heart. Therefore, every human being who wishes to be faithful to God must renounce his selfish desires and obey.

The concept of delivering

As human beings come into relationship with God through prayer and the study of His Word, they understand the character of a God of love and mercy, but also of justice. Therefore, it is natural that trust in the Creator is strengthened more and more. Deliverance, in the Bible, denotes full trust in God, which causes human beings to dedicate all areas of their lives to the Lord.

Therefore, the concept of "surrender" in Psalm 37 indicates nothing more than submission to the will of God. It is no longer the desire of a selfish heart that prevails, but the will of the Lord.

Rest and wait, an act of faith, trust and knowledge

In Psalm 37, from the moment a human being trusts God, he surrenders all his ways to the Creator. After surrendering everything, what is left is to rest and wait, confident that God will do what is best. Rest and waiting are only consequences that are evident in the person who has decided to trust and surrender everything to God.

Thus, resting and waiting is nothing more than a consequence of the trust that has been placed entirely in God and in his providence. Therefore, resting and waiting on God are acts of faith and trust, and only those who have knowledge of who God is can make such decisions.

Why is resting and waiting considered an act of faith and trust in Psalm 37?

Resting and waiting are acts of trust in God because these attitudes are consequences of trusting in the Creator. No one decides to wait and rest in God without first having knowledge of His character or without having any familiarity with the Lord. Therefore, rest and waiting on God are only a consequence of a relationship with Him.

One of the main emphases of Psalm 37 is on trust in God. It can be seen that it is built up through a process. First, the human being seeks to know God through the study of the Holy Bible and prayer; then, he seeks to obey God and, after that, he decides to rest and wait on the Lord.