David
Psalm 37
A Psalm of David.
Scripture (KJV)
1Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7Rest 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.
8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
39But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Summary
Psalm 37 is an acrostic of wisdom addressed to those tempted to envy the prosperity of the wicked. David, drawing on a long life, counsels the reader not to fret but to trust, do good, delight in the Lord, commit one’s way, and rest patiently. The logic is simple: the wicked are temporary as grass, while the Lord upholds the righteous and gives them the land. Verse 4 is among the most quoted in Scripture—"Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart"—often understood to mean that as delight reshapes our desires, God fulfills them in Himself.
The major themes are trust, patience, meekness, justice, and inheritance. Verse 11 ("the meek shall inherit the earth") is quoted by Jesus in the Beatitudes. The closing verses (selected here) frame the whole: the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, who delivers them because they trust in Him. Practically, the psalm redirects energy from anxious comparison to active trust and quiet waiting. The great lesson is that delight in God is both the command and the reward.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 37
Father, keep me from fretting over those who prosper in wrongdoing. Help me trust in You and do good, dwelling faithfully where You have placed me. Let my delight be in You above all, that the desires of my heart may be shaped by Your own. I commit my way to You—bring it to pass in Your time and Your way. Teach me to rest and wait patiently, to cease from anger and forsake wrath. Make me meek, that I may inherit the earth and delight in the abundance of Your peace. From youth to old age, let me say with David that I have not seen the righteous forsaken. Be my strength in trouble and my deliverer, for I trust in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1Whose prosperity am I tempted to envy, and how does this psalm reframe it?
- 2What would it look like to "delight myself in the Lord" today?
- 3What way do I need to commit to Him and trust Him to bring to pass?
- 4How can waiting patiently replace my fretting this week?
Related Psalms
Psalm 1
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Two paths, two destinies: the righteous rooted like a tree by streams, the wicked blown away like chaff.
Read morePsalm 25
“Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.”
An acrostic prayer for guidance, forgiveness, and deliverance.
Read morePsalm 34
“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Taste and see that the Lord is good; near to the brokenhearted.
Read morePsalm 73
“Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.”
A struggle with the prosperity of the wicked resolved in God’s presence.
Read morePsalm 112
“Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.”
Psalm 112 is an acrostic wisdom psalm that mirrors Psalm 111 in form and theme, tracing the blessings of the person who fears the Lord and delights greatly in His commandments.
Read moreRelated Articles
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Read Psalm StudiesPsalm 119 and the Word of God
The longest psalm is a love song to Scripture. What its 176 verses teach us about delighting in God’s law.
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