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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: Psalm 37

Chapter 37

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

(Title

&) This is the third alphabetical Psalm. It seems to have been intended as an instructive and consoling ode for the captives in Babylon, who might feel themselves severely tempted when they saw those idolaters in prosperity, and themselves in adversity.

Fret

7 1 Samuel 1:6-8 Proverbs 19:3 24:1,19

neither

73:3 Proverbs 3:31 23:17 Galatians 5:21 James 4:5,6

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

35,36 73:17-20 90:5,6 92:7 129:5-7 Job 20:5-9 James 1:10,11 1 Peter 1:24

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Trust

4:5 26:1 Isaiah 1:16-19 50:10 Jeremiah 17:7,8 1 Corinthians 15:57,58 Hebrews 6:10-12

so shalt

Genesis 26:2 1 Samuel 26:19 Hebrews 11:13-16

verily

Heb. in truth, or stableness. be fed.

33:19 34:9,10 Matthew 6:31-33 Luke 22:35

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Delight

43:4 104:34 Job 27:10 34:9 Song of Solomon 2:3 Isaiah 58:14 1 Peter 1:8

and

21:1,2 145:19 John 15:7,16 1 John 5:14,15

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Commit

Heb. Roll thy way upon.

22:8 55:22 Proverbs 16:3 *marg:; Matthew 6:25 Luke 12:22,29,30 Philippians 4:6,7 1 Peter 5:7

and

Job 22:28 Ecclesiastes 9:1 Lamentations 3:37 James 4:15

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

he shall

31:20 Isaiah 54:17 Micah 7:8,9 1 Corinthians 4:5

light

Job 11:17 Malachi 3:18 Matthew 13:43

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Rest in

Heb. Be silent to.

62:1 Joshua 10:12 Jonah 1:11 *margins

wait

27:14 40:1 Proverbs 20:22 Isaiah 8:17 30:15 Lamentations 3:25,26 Habakkuk 2:3 Galatians 6:9 Hebrews 10:36,37 James 5:7-11

fret

50:8 73:3-14 Jeremiah 12:1

the man

Job 21:7-34 Ecclesiastes 5:8 Isaiah 10:13,14 Daniel 11:36 Revelation 13:3-10

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

Cease

Job 5:2 18:4 Proverbs 14:29 16:32 Ephesians 4:26,31 James 1:19,20 3:14-18

fret

31:22 73:15 116:11 1 Samuel 25:21-23 Jeremiah 20:14,15 Jonah 4:1,9 Luke 9:54,55

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

evil-doers

35,36 55:23 Job 20:23-29 27:13,14-23

inherit

11,12,29 25:13 Isaiah 58:14 60:21 Hebrews 11:16 Revelation 5:10

the earth

Or, "the land," airetz, probably the land of Judea, given by God himself as an inheritance to their fathers, and their posterity forever: and this verse seems to contain a promise of their return thither.

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

yet

73:18-20 Job 24:24 Hebrews 10:36,37 1 Peter 4:7 Revelation 6:10,11

wicked

35,36 49:10 103:16 Job 7:10,21 14:10 20:8,9 Luke 12:20,21 Luke 16:27,28

thou

52:5 58:10,11 107:42,43 1 Samuel 25:38,39 2 Kings 9:25,34-37 Esther 7:10 8:1 Isaiah 14:16-19

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

the meek

Matthew 5:5 Galatians 5:22,23 1 Timothy 6:11 James 1:21 3:13

delight

36:8 72:7 119:165 Isaiah 26:3 48:18 57:18-21 John 14:27 Philippians 4:7

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

32 1 Samuel 18:21 23:7-9 2 Samuel 15:10-12 Esther 3:6 Matthew 26:4,16

plotteth

or, practiseth.

Daniel 8:12,24 Micah 2:1

gnasheth

35:16

The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

laugh

2:4 Proverbs 1:26

his day

1 Samuel 26:10 Jeremiah 50:27 Ezekiel 21:25,29 Daniel 5:26

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

wicked

64:2-6 Acts 12:2,3,11,23

slay

1 Samuel 24:11,17 Proverbs 29:10,27 Habakkuk 1:13 Matthew 23:30-34 Acts 7:52 1 John 3:12

such as, etc

Heb. the upright of way.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

sword

7:14,15 35:8 1 Samuel 31:4 2 Samuel 17:23 Esther 7:9,10 Isaiah 37:38 Micah 5:6 Matthew 27:4,5

bows

46:9 76:3-6 Jeremiah 51:56 Hosea 1:5 2:18

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

Proverbs 3:33 13:25 15:16,17 16:8 30:9 Ecclesiastes 2:26 4:6 Matthew 6:11 1 Timothy 6:6

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

arms

10:15 Job 38:15 Ezekiel 30:21-25

Lord

24 41:12 51:12 63:8 119:116,117 145:14 Isaiah 41:10 42:1 Jude 1:24

The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

knoweth

1:6 31:7 Matthew 6:32 2 Timothy 2:19

the days

13 31:15 49:5 Deuteronomy 33:25 Matthew 24:21-24 2 Timothy 3:1-5 4:2-4 Revelation 11:3-5

their

16:11 21:4 73:24 103:17 Isaiah 60:21 Romans 5:21 6:23 1 Peter 1:4,5 1 John 2:25

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

in the evil

Ecclesiastes 9:12 Amos 5:13 Micah 2:3 Ephesians 5:16

days

33:19 Job 5:20-22 Proverbs 10:3 Isaiah 33:16

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

But the

68:2 92:9 Judges 5:31 Luke 13:3,5 2 Peter 2:12

as the fat of lambs

Heb. preciousness. That is, as the fat was wholly consumed in sacrifices, by the fire on the altar, so the wicked shall consume away in the fire of God's anger.

Deuteronomy 33:14-16

smoke

102:3 Genesis 19:28 Leviticus 3:3-11,16 Deuteronomy 29:20 Hebrews 12:29

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

borroweth

Deuteronomy 28:12,43,44 2 Kings 4:1-5 Nehemiah 5:1-5 Proverbs 22:7

righteous

112:5,9 Deuteronomy 15:9-11 Job 31:16-20 Isaiah 32:8 58:7-10 Luke 6:30 Acts 11:29 20:35 2 Corinthians 8:9 9:6-15 Hebrews 6:10 13:16

For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

Blessed

11,18 32:1 115:15 128:1 Proverbs 3:33

cursed

119:21 Matthew 25:41 1 Corinthians 16:22 Galatians 3:10,13

cut off

9,28 Zechariah 5:3,4

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

steps

17:5 85:13 119:133 121:3,8 1 Samuel 2:9 Job 23:11,12 Proverbs 16:9 Jeremiah 10:23

ordered

or, established.

40:2 Proverbs 4:26

delighteth

147:10 Proverbs 11:1,20 Jeremiah 9:24 Hebrews 13:16

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Though

34:19,20 40:2 91:12 94:18 145:14 Proverbs 24:16 Micah 7:7,8 Luke 2:34 Luke 22:31,32,60-62

for

17 145:14 John 10:27-30

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

I have

71:9,18 Job 32:6,7 Acts 21:16 Philemon 1:8,9

yet

28 94:14 Joshua 1:5 1 Samuel 12:22 Isaiah 13:16 2 Corinthians 4:9 Hebrews 12:5,6 Hebrews 13:5

nor his seed

25:13 59:15 109:10 112:2 Genesis 17:7 Job 15:23 Proverbs 13:22 Luke 1:53-55

He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

ever

Heb. all the day. merciful.

21 112:5,9 Deuteronomy 15:8-10 Matthew 5:7 Luke 6:35-38

his seed

Proverbs 20:7 Jeremiah 32:39

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

Depart

34:14 Job 28:28 Proverbs 16:6,17 Isaiah 1:16,17 2 Timothy 2:19 Titus 2:11-14

do good

1 Thessalonians 5:15 Titus 3:8,14 Hebrews 13:16,21 1 John 2:16,17

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.

loveth

11:7 45:6,7 99:4 Isaiah 30:18 61:8 Jeremiah 9:24

forsaketh

25,40 92:13-15 Isaiah 59:21 Jeremiah 32:40,41 John 5:24 6:39,40 John 10:28-30 15:9 1 John 2:19 1 Peter 1:5 Jude 1:1

but

21:10 Exodus 20:5 Job 18:19 27:14 Proverbs 2:22 Isaiah 14:20,21

The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

9,11,18,27 Deuteronomy 30:20 Proverbs 2:21 2 Peter 3:13 Revelation 21:3,4,7

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

71:15,24 Deuteronomy 6:7-9 Proverbs 10:21,31 15:7 25:11-13 27:9 Matthew 12:35 Ephesians 4:29 Colossians 4:6

The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

law

1:2 40:3,8 119:11,98 Deuteronomy 6:6 11:18-20 Proverbs 4:4 Isaiah 51:7 Jeremiah 31:33 Hebrews 8:10

none

23 121:3

steps

or, goings.

17:5 40:2 44:18 *marg:; 73:2 Job 23:11 Proverbs 14:15 Ezekiel 27:6 *marg:

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

watcheth

12 10:8-10 Jeremiah 20:10 Luke 6:7 11:54 14:1 19:47,48 20:20 Acts 9:24

The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

will not

31:7,8 124:6,7 1 Samuel 23:26-28 2 Timothy 4:17 2 Peter 2:9

condemn

109:31 Romans 8:1,33,34

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

Wait

Kawah, to wait, implies the extension of a right line from one point to another. The first point is the human heart; the line is its intense desire; and the last point is God, to whom the heart extends this straight line of earnest desire. He who, while he waits on God, keeps his way, is sure to have the further blessings of which he is in pursuit.

3,7,9 27:14 Proverbs 20:22

keep

Job 17:9 23:10-12 Proverbs 4:25-27 16:17 Matthew 24:13

exalt

92:10 112:9 Luke 14:11 1 Peter 1:7 5:6

when

52:5,6 91:8 92:11

I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

I have

73:3-11 Esther 5:11 Job 5:3 21:7-17 Isaiah 14:14-19

a green bay-tree

or, a green tree that groweth in his own soil.

Job 8:13-19 Ezekiel 31:6-10,18 Daniel 4:20-33

Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

10 Exodus 15:9,10,19 Job 20:5-29 Isaiah 10:16-19,33,34 Acts 12:22,23

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

Job 1:1 42:12-17 Proverbs 14:32 Isaiah 32:17 57:2 Luke 2:25-29 Acts 7:59,60 2 Timothy 4:6-8 2 Peter 1:14

But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

1:4-6 9:17 52:5 Proverbs 14:32 Matthew 13:30,49,50 25:46 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9

But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

salvation

3:8 Isaiah 12:2 Jonah 2:9 Ephesians 2:8

strength

9:9 46:1 91:15 Isaiah 33:2 Colossians 1:11 2 Timothy 4:17

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

the Lord

Isaiah 31:5 46:4 Daniel 3:17,28 6:23

from

17:13 27:2 1 John 2:13,14 5:18

because

22:4,5 1 Chronicles 5:20