Ps. 37 THE ARGUMENT The design of this Psalm is to defend the providence of God, and to satisfy the minds of men in that great question, concerning the seeming inequality of God’s dispensations, in afflicting good men, and giving prosperity to the worst of men; and to instruct God’s people how to…

Fret not thyself, give not way to immoderate grief, or anger, or impatience, because of evil-doers; because they prosper in their wicked enterprises, whilst thou art sorely afflicted. Neither be thou envious, esteeming them happy, and secretly wishing that thou wert in their condition.

For their happiness, the matter of thy envy, is but shortlived.

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.

Delight thyself in the Lord; in his favour and service, and in the study of his word and promises. The desires of thine heart, i.e. thy just desires, or whatsoever is truly desirable and good for thee; which limitation is necessarily to be understood, both from divers places of Scripture, and from…

Thy way, i.e. all thy cares and business, thy desires and necessities. Commend them to God by fervent prayer, referring them to his good will, and expecting a happy issue of all from him. He shall bring it to pass, Heb.

He shall bring forth thy righteousness to the view of the world; from which it hath hitherto seemed to be hid or eclipsed by reproaches, and by grievous calamities, which most men are apt to mistake for tokens and punishments of great wickedness.

Rest in the Lord, Heb. Be silent unto, or for, or because of the Lord, i.e. do not murmur nor repine at his dealings, but silently and quietly submit to his will, and adore his judgments, and, as it follows, wait for his help.

Cease from anger; either against the sinner for his success; or against God for so disposing of things, as Jonah Was, Jonah 4:1. To do evil; or, at least so far as to do evil.

Shall be cut off, to wit, from the earth, by comparing this with the next clause, and with Ps. 34:16. Their end shall certainly be most miserable. Shall inherit the earth, according to God’s promise oft made to such; which also for the most part was literally fulfilled in that state of the church;…

Their time and prosperity is very short, and therefore no matter of envy. Shall not be, to wit, in the land of the living. He shall be dead and gone, as this phrase is commonly taken. Diligently consider his place; industriously seeking to find him. It shall not be, i.e.

The meek, i.e. the godly, who are frequently thus called, as Ps. 22:26, Ps. 149:4; those who patiently bear God’s afflicting hand, and meekly pass by injuries from ungodly men.

Out of malice and rage. See Poole “Ps. 35:16”.

Shall laugh at him, i.e. shall despise and deride all their hopes and endeavours against the good, as most vain and foolish. His day; either, 1. God’s day, which is a usual phrase, as Isa. 2:12, Isa. 13:9. Or, 2. His own day, as 1 Sam. 26:10, Ezek. 21:25, Ezek. 21:29.

They are furnished with all sorts of arms, and are ready to give the deadly blow. Such as be of upright conversation; such against whom they have no quarrel for any injury they have done them, but only for their integrity and righteousness, or because they are better than themselves, and will not…

God will not only defend the upright from their mischievous designs, but will make them to fall upon their own heads.

Because he hath it with many great and glorious advantages, with God’s favour and blessings, with great serenity, and satisfaction of his own mind, which is infinitely more desirable and comfortable than all earthly possessions; with the consolations of God’s Spirit, and the assurance of…

This is a proof of what he said Ps. 37:16. For what the wicked have shall suddenly be lost and gone, but God will maintain the righteous in their happy estate.

Knoweth; observeth with singular care and affection The days of the upright, i.e. their condition, and all things which do or may befall them, their dangers and fears, and suffering from ungodly men; and therefore will watch over them, and preserve them from all the designs and attempts of their…

They shall not be ashamed, for the disappointment of their hopes, but their hopes and desires shall be satisfied, as it follows.

Fat of lambs, which in an instant melteth before the fire. Consume into smoke, i.e. utterly and irrecoverably,

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; either through covetousness and injustice; or rather, because of that great penury into which God shall bring him; whilst the righteous is not only provided sufficiently for himself, but hath abundance and to spare for others.

Of him, i.e. of the Lord, as appears both from Ps. 37:20, where he is named, and from the nature of the thing, this being God’s prerogative to bless or to curse men. And this he mentions, both as the foundation, and as the proof of the certainty of their future happiness.

Of a good man, or, of that man, to wit, the righteous or blessed man, expressed Ps. 37:21–22. Ordered, or directed, or disposed, i.e. so governed as to attain the end and happy issue at which he aims.

Fall; either, 1. Into sin, as this word is used, Jer. 8:4, 1 Cor. 10:12; or rather, 2. Into distress or trouble, as Mic. 7:8. Not be utterly cast down, i.e. not totally nor irrecoverably ruined.

This assertion seems to be contradicted by many experiences; nor can it be denied, that both good men and their children have sometimes been reduced to great want. Quest. How then is this true? Answ. 1.

He is so far from begging from others, that he hath ability as well as inclination to give or lend to others, as need requires. His seed is blessed, not only with spiritual, but with temporal blessings.

Having therefore these glorious promises and privileges, let no man do any evil or unjust thing to enrich or secure himself, nor abstain from pious and charitable actions for fear of undoing himself by them; but let every man live in the conscionable discharge of all his duties to God and men,…

Judgment, i.e. just judgment, or righteousness, as that word is oft taken, as hath been showed again and again; either, 1. In himself, i.e. he loveth to execute judgment upon the wicked, and for the righteous; which he doth in the manner expressed in this Psalm. Or, 2.

Inherit the land: See Poole “Ps. 37:3”. Dwell therein for ever: See Poole “Ps. 37:18”.

Speaketh; and that freely, and customarily, and from his heart, as the next verse shows. Having showed in divers verses God’s singular care over and respect to the righteous, he proceeds to give a character of them, and withal to assign one reason of the great difference of God’s dealings with them…

According to God’s command, Deut. 6:6, and promise, Heb. 8:10. His thoughts, and meditations, and affections are fixed upon it. He doth not talk religiously in design, or with ostentation, but out of the abundance of his heart, Matt. 12:35.

Watcheth, to find out a fit season or occasion to destroy him.

Not leave him in his hand, i.e. not give him up to his power and rage. Nor condemn him, i.e. nor give his consent to the sentence of condemnation, which the wicked have pronounced against him, but will justify him, and vindicate his innocency and deliver him; for such negatives do oft imply the…

Wait on the Lord; seeking and trusting to him, and to him only, for help and deliverance. Keep his way; continue in the practice of thy duty, or in those ways which God hath prescribed to thee in his word, and do not use indirect and irregular means to deliver thyself.

In great power, or formidable; not only himself out of danger, as it seemed, but terrible to others. And spreading himself; and therefore firmly and deeply rooted. Like a green bay tree, which is continually green and flourishing, yea, even in the winter season.

He was gone in an instant, like a tree blasted and blown down, or cut off and rooted out, and carried away in a moment. There was no monument nor remainder of him left.

Though he may meet with troubles in his way, yet all shall end well with him; he shall be happy at last.

Together; or, alike, one as well as another; all, without any exception or respect of persons. The end of the wicked shall be cut off, i. e. he shall be cut off at last, or in the end. His prosperity shall end in destruction. Or, the posterity (as this word signifies, Ps. 109:13, Jer. 31:17, Ezek.

The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; and therefore it shall certainly come to them.