Grasp the Gospel — Bible Comprehension Quizzes

Psalms 37 Study Notes: Trusting God When the Wicked Prosper

A wisdom psalm of David urging God's people not to fret over or envy evildoers, whose success quickly fades. It calls for trust, patience, and generosity, promises that the humble will receive the land as their inheritance, and ends with the LORD rescuing those who shelter in Him.

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General

How does 37:21 contrast the way the wicked and the righteous handle money and goods?

Answer: The wicked fail to pay back; the righteous give freely

Wicked people borrow and never pay it back, while godly people are kind and give generously (37:21). Later the psalm adds that the righteous lend generously and often, and their children bring blessing (37:26). A person's handling of money shows what is in their heart. Psalm 112:5 praises the man who gives and lends generously, and Jesus told His followers to lend without expecting anything back, because God is kind even to the ungrateful (Luke 6:35).

  • Psalm 37:21 (BSB)
    “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.”
    The wicked fail to repay what they borrow, while the righteous are generous.
  • Psalm 37:26 (BSB)
    “They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.”
    The righteous lend freely, and their children are a blessing.
  • Psalm 112:5 (BSB)
    “It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.”
    The generous lender is commended as one whose life goes well.
  • Luke 6:35 (BSB)
    “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
    Jesus calls His followers to lend without expecting repayment, reflecting God's kindness.

Theological

What contrast in the use of possessions does 37:21 draw between the wicked and the righteous?

Answer: The wicked fail to pay back; the righteous give freely

Righteousness shows itself in economic conduct: the wicked borrow without repaying, while the righteous show grace and give (37:21), lending generously and often (37:26). Such generosity is the fruit of a heart made right with God, not the ground of that standing. Psalm 112:5 commends the generous lender, and Jesus grounds lending without expectation of return in the Father's kindness to the ungrateful (Luke 6:35).

  • Psalm 37:21 (BSB)
    “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.”
    The wicked fail to repay what they borrow, while the righteous are generous.
  • Psalm 37:26 (BSB)
    “They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.”
    The righteous lend freely, and their children are a blessing.
  • Psalm 112:5 (BSB)
    “It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.”
    The generous lender is commended as one whose life goes well.
  • Luke 6:35 (BSB)
    “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
    Jesus calls His followers to lend without expecting repayment, reflecting God's kindness.

General

According to 37:5-6, what will the LORD do for the person who commits their way to Him?

Answer: Make their righteousness shine out like daylight

To entrust your path to the LORD is to hand over your life and plans to Him and trust Him to act (37:5). The promise in 37:6 is about vindication (being shown to be in the right): God will bring the justice of the person's cause into the open, as plain as sunrise and the midday sun. When the wicked slander or cheat the righteous, the righteous do not need to defend themselves by force, because God will show the truth in His time. Peter describes a similar trust in Jesus, who, when He suffered, kept entrusting Himself to God who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). Proverbs 16:3 and 1 Peter 5:7 also call believers to give their plans and worries to God.

  • Psalm 37:5-6 (BSB)
    “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun.”
    Committing one's way to the LORD is followed by His bringing their righteousness to light.
  • 1 Peter 2:23 (BSB)
    “When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.”
    Christ entrusted Himself to God the righteous Judge instead of retaliating.
  • Proverbs 16:3 (BSB)
    “Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.”
    Plans committed to the LORD are established by Him.
  • 1 Peter 5:7 (BSB)
    “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
    Believers cast their anxieties on God because He cares for them.

Theological

According to 37:6, what will the LORD do for the one who entrusts his path to Him?

Answer: Make their righteousness shine out like daylight

Committing one's way (37:5) means rolling the whole course of life onto the LORD in trust. The promise that follows is vindication: God will bring forth the righteousness and justice of the one who trusts Him, as unmistakable as dawn and noon (37:6). The righteous need not seize vindication for themselves when wronged. Christ is the supreme example, entrusting Himself to the Father who judges justly while He suffered (1 Peter 2:23), and the same trust is commended in Proverbs 16:3 and 1 Peter 5:7.

  • Psalm 37:5-6 (BSB)
    “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun.”
    Committing one's way to the LORD is followed by His bringing their righteousness to light.
  • 1 Peter 2:23 (BSB)
    “When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.”
    Christ entrusted Himself to God the righteous Judge instead of retaliating.
  • Proverbs 16:3 (BSB)
    “Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.”
    Plans committed to the LORD are established by Him.
  • 1 Peter 5:7 (BSB)
    “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
    Believers cast their anxieties on God because He cares for them.

General

In 37:4, what does the psalm call the reader to do before it speaks of the desires of the heart being given?

Answer: To take delight in the LORD Himself

The verse begins with a command: find your delight in the LORD (37:4). The promise that follows is tied to that delight. When God Himself becomes a person's joy, their desires are shaped by Him, and He gives what truly satisfies, which is above all Himself; true joy is found in His presence (Psalm 16:11). This is not a formula for getting anything we happen to want. The psalm is about trusting God while the wicked seem to prosper, not about guaranteed wealth or comfort. Asaph found that God Himself was the one he desired above all (Psalm 73:25-26). Jesus taught His followers to seek God's kingdom first (Matthew 6:33), and John says God hears requests made in line with His will (1 John 5:14-15).

  • Psalm 37:4 (BSB)
    “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
    The promise concerning the heart's desires is joined to delighting in the LORD.
  • Psalm 16:11 (BSB)
    “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”
    Fullness of joy is found in God's presence, showing what the delighting heart receives.
  • Psalm 73:25-26 (BSB)
    “Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
    Asaph desires God above everything in heaven and earth, his portion forever.
  • Matthew 6:33 (BSB)
    “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
    Jesus places seeking God's kingdom first, with other needs following.
  • 1 John 5:14-15 (BSB)
    “And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.”
    God hears the requests His people make in line with His will.

Theological

What is the condition attached in 37:4 to the promise concerning the desires of the heart?

Answer: To take delight in the LORD Himself

The imperative comes first: to delight in the LORD (37:4). The promise flows from that command; the one whose chief delight is God finds his desires reordered toward God, and God grants what such a heart truly longs for, above all Himself (Psalm 16:11; 73:25-26). Set within a psalm about the apparent success of the wicked, the verse calls the believer to find his portion in the LORD rather than in what the wicked possess; it is not a pledge of material prosperity. Jesus' ordering of seeking the kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) and John's teaching on asking according to God's will (1 John 5:14-15) confirm the same pattern.

  • Psalm 37:4 (BSB)
    “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
    The promise concerning the heart's desires is joined to delighting in the LORD.
  • Psalm 16:11 (BSB)
    “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”
    Fullness of joy is found in God's presence, showing what the delighting heart receives.
  • Psalm 73:25-26 (BSB)
    “Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
    Asaph desires God above everything in heaven and earth, his portion forever.
  • Matthew 6:33 (BSB)
    “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
    Jesus places seeking God's kingdom first, with other needs following.
  • 1 John 5:14-15 (BSB)
    “And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.”
    God hears the requests His people make in line with His will.

General

What reason does 37:1-2 give for not being upset about, or jealous of, people who do evil?

Answer: They will soon fade away like grass

Psalm 37 is a psalm of wisdom (teaching for everyday life) written by David, and its verses are arranged by the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. It opens by telling God's people not to fret or be jealous when evildoers seem to do well, because their success will not last: they dry up fast, like grass and green plants (37:1-2). The same advice appears in Proverbs 24:19-20 and 23:17-18. Asaph in Psalm 73 admits he envied the arrogant until he went into God's sanctuary and saw their end (73:3, 17).

  • Psalm 37:1-2 (BSB)
    “Of David. Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong. For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants.”
    David opens the psalm with its theme: do not envy evildoers, whose success is brief.
  • Proverbs 24:19-20 (BSB)
    “Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.”
    Proverbs gives the same command with the same reason, that the wicked have no future.
  • Proverbs 23:17-18 (BSB)
    “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD. For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”
    Instead of envying sinners, keep fearing the LORD, for there is a future and a hope that will not fail.
  • Psalm 73:3 (BSB)
    “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
    Asaph confesses envying the prosperity of the wicked.
  • Psalm 73:17 (BSB)
    “until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end.”
    Asaph's envy ends when he sees the final end of the wicked in God's presence.

Theological

On what ground does 37:1-2 forbid fretting over, and envying, wrongdoers?

Answer: They will soon fade away like grass

The psalm is an acrostic wisdom psalm, and its opening sets its theme: the apparent success of the wicked is no ground for fretting or envy, because it is short-lived. They dry up fast like grass and fade like tender growth (37:1-2). The rest of the psalm keeps returning to this contrast between the brief success of the wicked and the lasting inheritance of the righteous. Proverbs gives the same counsel with the same reason, that the wicked have no lasting future (Proverbs 24:19-20; 23:17-18), and Asaph's envy in Psalm 73 is cured only when he considers their end in the sanctuary (73:3, 17).

  • Psalm 37:1-2 (BSB)
    “Of David. Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong. For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants.”
    David opens the psalm with its theme: do not envy evildoers, whose success is brief.
  • Proverbs 24:19-20 (BSB)
    “Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.”
    Proverbs gives the same command with the same reason, that the wicked have no future.
  • Proverbs 23:17-18 (BSB)
    “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD. For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”
    Instead of envying sinners, keep fearing the LORD, for there is a future and a hope that will not fail.
  • Psalm 73:3 (BSB)
    “For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
    Asaph confesses envying the prosperity of the wicked.
  • Psalm 73:17 (BSB)
    “until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end.”
    Asaph's envy ends when he sees the final end of the wicked in God's presence.

General

In 37:35-36, what happened to the ruthless man David had seen flourishing like a deep-rooted tree?

Answer: He vanished, and no trace of him remained

David once saw a cruel, wicked man doing very well, spreading out like a strong native tree. But then he was gone; David looked for him and could not find him (37:35-36). This is the psalm's opening point made personal (37:1-2, 10): the success of the wicked is short. Other psalms say the same: though the wicked spring up like grass, they are destroyed forever (Psalm 92:7), and Asaph saw their sudden ruin (Psalm 73:18-19). David then draws the lesson: look at people of integrity, for the peaceable have a future, while rebels have no lasting future (37:37-38).

  • Psalm 37:35-36 (BSB)
    “I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.”
    David recalls a flourishing wicked man who soon disappeared.
  • Psalm 92:7 (BSB)
    “that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.”
    The flourishing of evildoers ends in lasting destruction.
  • Psalm 73:18-19 (BSB)
    “Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin. How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!”
    Asaph sees how suddenly the prospering wicked are brought to ruin.

Theological

According to the speaker's observation in 37:35-36, what became of the ruthless man who flourished?

Answer: He vanished, and no trace of him remained

The speaker's own observation confirms the psalm's thesis: a cruel, wicked man spread himself like a luxuriant native tree, but then he vanished, and when sought was nowhere to be found (37:35-36; compare 37:10). The success of the wicked is real but transient. Psalm 92:7 states the principle that their flourishing ends in destruction, and Asaph reaches the same conclusion in the sudden ruin he describes (Psalm 73:18-19). The psalm then states the lesson directly: the blameless and upright are to be observed, since the peaceable have a future, while every transgressor is destroyed (37:37-38).

  • Psalm 37:35-36 (BSB)
    “I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.”
    David recalls a flourishing wicked man who soon disappeared.
  • Psalm 92:7 (BSB)
    “that though the wicked sprout like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.”
    The flourishing of evildoers ends in lasting destruction.
  • Psalm 73:18-19 (BSB)
    “Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin. How suddenly they are laid waste, completely swept away by terrors!”
    Asaph sees how suddenly the prospering wicked are brought to ruin.

General

What does 37:8 say fretting and anger lead to?

Answer: Nothing but harm, and no good at all

Instead of fretting, David tells his readers to be quiet in the LORD's presence and to wait for Him with patience, even when evil people succeed in their schemes (37:7). He adds that they should let go of anger and rage, because fretting only brings harm (37:8). Fretting does nothing to stop the wicked; it produces only damage, and it can pull the one who frets toward sin. James says human anger does not produce the righteousness God wants (James 1:20), and Paul warns not to let anger lead to sin (Ephesians 4:26). The better way is quiet, hopeful waiting on God (Psalm 62:5).

  • Psalm 37:7-8 (BSB)
    “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm.”
    David counsels patient waiting on God and warns that fretting only does harm.
  • James 1:20 (BSB)
    “for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.”
    Human anger does not accomplish the righteousness God desires.
  • Ephesians 4:26 (BSB)
    ““Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,”
    Anger must not be allowed to become sin or to linger.
  • Psalm 62:5 (BSB)
    “Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.”
    The psalmist quiets his soul to rest in God, from whom his hope comes.

Theological

According to 37:7-8, what is the result of fretting over the success of the wicked?

Answer: Nothing but harm, and no good at all

The antidote to fretting is quiet waiting: stillness in the LORD's presence and patient expectation of Him, even while the wicked prosper and carry out their schemes (37:7). Anger and wrath must be abandoned, since fretting leads only to harm (37:8). Resentment at the success of the wicked does nothing to them; its only fruit is harm, and it tends toward sin. James 1:20 and Ephesians 4:26 make the same point about human anger, and Psalm 62:5 models the soul resting in God alone.

  • Psalm 37:7-8 (BSB)
    “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm.”
    David counsels patient waiting on God and warns that fretting only does harm.
  • James 1:20 (BSB)
    “for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.”
    Human anger does not accomplish the righteousness God desires.
  • Ephesians 4:26 (BSB)
    ““Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,”
    Anger must not be allowed to become sin or to linger.
  • Psalm 62:5 (BSB)
    “Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.”
    The psalmist quiets his soul to rest in God, from whom his hope comes.

General

According to 37:30-31, what lies behind the wise speech and steady steps of the godly man?

Answer: He carries God's law within his heart

The righteous man's mouth speaks wisdom and justice (37:30) because he holds God's law within his heart, so his steps stay sure (37:31). What is inside shapes what comes out in words and actions. Psalm 40:8 and 119:11 speak of God's word kept in the heart, and through Jeremiah God promised a new covenant (a new binding agreement with His people) in which He would write His law on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). This inner change is God's work, and right speech and conduct are its fruit.

  • Psalm 37:30-31 (BSB)
    “The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.”
    The righteous man's speech and steady walk flow from God's law in his heart.
  • Psalm 40:8 (BSB)
    “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.””
    The psalmist delights in God's will because His law is within him.
  • Psalm 119:11 (BSB)
    “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
    God's word stored in the heart guards against sin.
  • Jeremiah 31:33 (BSB)
    ““But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.”
    God promises to write His law on His people's hearts in the new covenant.

Theological

What does 37:31 identify as the source of the righteous man's sure footing?

Answer: He carries God's law within his heart

Wise and just speech (37:30) flows from an inner source: the law of God dwelling in the heart, which keeps the righteous man's steps from slipping (37:31). Psalm 40:8 and 119:11 describe the same internalized word, and the new covenant promise that God will inscribe His law on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33) shows that this inward conformity is God's regenerating work, of which righteous speech and conduct are the fruit.

  • Psalm 37:30-31 (BSB)
    “The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.”
    The righteous man's speech and steady walk flow from God's law in his heart.
  • Psalm 40:8 (BSB)
    “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.””
    The psalmist delights in God's will because His law is within him.
  • Psalm 119:11 (BSB)
    “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
    God's word stored in the heart guards against sin.
  • Jeremiah 31:33 (BSB)
    ““But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.”
    God promises to write His law on His people's hearts in the new covenant.

General

Why does 37:16-17 say the small possessions of the righteous are better than the wealth of many wicked people?

Answer: God breaks the wicked but holds up the righteous

The righteous person's small portion is better than the great wealth of many wicked people (37:16). The reason is given in 37:17: the power of the wicked is going to be shattered, while the LORD holds up the righteous. What matters is not how much a person has but whether God is with them. Proverbs says the same: a small portion held in reverence for God and with righteousness beats great riches gained with turmoil or injustice (Proverbs 15:16; 16:8). Paul calls godly contentment a great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

  • Psalm 37:16-17 (BSB)
    “Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many who are wicked. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.”
    The righteous man's little is better because God upholds him while the wicked are broken.
  • Proverbs 15:16 (BSB)
    “Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil.”
    A little with the fear of the LORD is better than great wealth with turmoil.
  • Proverbs 16:8 (BSB)
    “Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice.”
    A little gained righteously is better than much gained unjustly.
  • 1 Timothy 6:6 (BSB)
    “Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.”
    Paul counts contentment joined with godliness as true gain.

Theological

Why does 37:16-17 rank the righteous person's small portion above the wealth of many wicked people?

Answer: God breaks the wicked but holds up the righteous

The better-than saying of 37:16 is grounded in 37:17: the might of the wicked is to be shattered, while the LORD sustains the righteous. The value of a portion depends on whether God upholds its owner, not on its size. Proverbs 15:16 and 16:8 repeat the comparison, and Paul's teaching that godly contentment is a great gain (1 Timothy 6:6) carries it into the New Testament.

  • Psalm 37:16-17 (BSB)
    “Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many who are wicked. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.”
    The righteous man's little is better because God upholds him while the wicked are broken.
  • Proverbs 15:16 (BSB)
    “Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil.”
    A little with the fear of the LORD is better than great wealth with turmoil.
  • Proverbs 16:8 (BSB)
    “Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice.”
    A little gained righteously is better than much gained unjustly.
  • 1 Timothy 6:6 (BSB)
    “Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.”
    Paul counts contentment joined with godliness as true gain.

General

Which saying of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount echoes the promise of 37:11?

Answer: Blessing on the meek, who will receive the earth

Again and again the psalm says that those who trust God will receive the land as their inheritance (37:9, 11, 22, 29, 34). In the Old Testament the land was Israel's promised home, God's gift to His people. In 37:11 the heirs are the meek, humble people who do not grab for themselves but wait on God. Jesus echoes this verse in His beatitude on the meek (Matthew 5:5), and in His words the promise reaches to the earth itself. In a related way, Paul describes what God promised Abraham and his descendants as heirship of the world, received through faith (Romans 4:13).

  • Psalm 37:11 (BSB)
    “But the meek will inherit the land and delight in abundant prosperity.”
    The meek are promised the land as their inheritance.
  • Psalm 37:29 (BSB)
    “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.”
    The refrain returns: the righteous will possess the land permanently.
  • Matthew 5:5 (BSB)
    “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
    Jesus echoes the psalm in blessing the meek as heirs.
  • Romans 4:13 (BSB)
    “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”
    Paul describes the promise to Abraham's offspring as an inheritance of the world received by faith.

Theological

Which beatitude draws on the promise of 37:11?

Answer: Blessing on the meek, who will receive the earth

The inheritance of the land is the psalm's refrain (37:9, 11, 22, 29, 34), the covenant gift promised to Abraham's seed. In 37:11 its heirs are the meek, who do not seize but wait on the LORD. Jesus echoes the verse in the third beatitude (Matthew 5:5), where the promise is stated in terms of the earth. Paul similarly describes the Abrahamic promise as heirship of the world, given through the righteousness of faith rather than through the law (Romans 4:13).

  • Psalm 37:11 (BSB)
    “But the meek will inherit the land and delight in abundant prosperity.”
    The meek are promised the land as their inheritance.
  • Psalm 37:29 (BSB)
    “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.”
    The refrain returns: the righteous will possess the land permanently.
  • Matthew 5:5 (BSB)
    “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
    Jesus echoes the psalm in blessing the meek as heirs.
  • Romans 4:13 (BSB)
    “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”
    Paul describes the promise to Abraham's offspring as an inheritance of the world received by faith.

General

True or False: In 37:28 the psalm says the LORD will never abandon His faithful people, and they are kept safe forever.

Answer: True

This is true. The reason given is the LORD Himself: He loves what is just and will never abandon His saints (His faithful people), so their safety lasts forever, while the line of the wicked is cut off (37:28). Their safety depends on God's faithfulness, not on their own strength. This is what the Bible teaches as the perseverance of the saints: God keeps everyone who truly belongs to Him and finishes the work He began in them (Philippians 1:6). Paul says nothing at all can separate believers from God's love in Christ (Romans 8:38-39), and Peter says believers are guarded by the power of God through faith (1 Peter 1:5).

  • Psalm 37:28 (BSB)
    “For the LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.”
    The LORD's love of justice and faithfulness to His saints secure them forever.
  • Philippians 1:6 (BSB)
    “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
    God brings to completion the good work He begins in His people.
  • Romans 8:38-39 (BSB)
    “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
    Nothing in creation can separate believers from God's love in Christ.
  • 1 Peter 1:5 (BSB)
    “who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
    Believers are kept by God's power through faith for final salvation.

Theological

True or False: 37:28 grounds the everlasting preservation of the saints in the LORD's love of justice and His refusal to abandon them.

Answer: True

This is true. The preservation of the saints is grounded in God's own character: the LORD loves what is just and will never abandon His godly ones, who are kept forever, while the seed of the wicked is cut off (37:28). Perseverance rests on God's preserving faithfulness, not on the saints' native strength: He completes the work He begins (Philippians 1:6), nothing can sever His people from His love in Christ (Romans 8:38-39), and they are guarded by His power through faith (1 Peter 1:5).

  • Psalm 37:28 (BSB)
    “For the LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.”
    The LORD's love of justice and faithfulness to His saints secure them forever.
  • Philippians 1:6 (BSB)
    “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
    God brings to completion the good work He begins in His people.
  • Romans 8:38-39 (BSB)
    “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
    Nothing in creation can separate believers from God's love in Christ.
  • 1 Peter 1:5 (BSB)
    “who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
    Believers are kept by God's power through faith for final salvation.

General

What reason does the last verse of Psalm 37 give for the LORD's rescue of the righteous?

Answer: They flee to Him for shelter

The psalm ends by saying that the righteous owe their salvation to the LORD, their stronghold when trouble comes (37:39). He helps, delivers, and rescues them from wicked people, because they have run to Him for safety (37:40). Earlier the psalm promised that God will not hand the righteous over to those who ambush them, and told them to wait for Him (37:32-34). Their rescue is God's work; their part is to trust Him, which is the same call the psalm made at the start (37:3, 5). Jonah likewise declared that salvation belongs to the LORD (Jonah 2:9), and Nahum 1:7 and Psalm 46:1 call God a stronghold and refuge in trouble.

  • Psalm 37:39-40 (BSB)
    “The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps and delivers them; He rescues and saves them from the wicked, because they take refuge in Him.”
    The psalm ends with the LORD as the source of the righteous' salvation and their refuge.
  • Jonah 2:9 (BSB)
    “But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!””
    Jonah confesses that salvation comes from the LORD alone.
  • Nahum 1:7 (BSB)
    “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.”
    The LORD is a stronghold who cares for those who trust Him.
  • Psalm 46:1 (BSB)
    “For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.”
    God is His people's refuge and ever-present help in trouble.

Theological

According to 37:39-40, on what ground does the LORD deliver the righteous from the wicked?

Answer: They flee to Him for shelter

After promising that God will not abandon the righteous to those who lie in ambush and calling them to wait for Him (37:32-34), the psalm closes on the source of deliverance: the righteous owe their salvation to the LORD, their stronghold in trouble (37:39), who helps, delivers, and saves them because they seek refuge in Him (37:40). Their refuge-seeking is not a merit that earns deliverance but the trust by which they rest on the God who saves, the same trust commanded in 37:3 and 37:5. Salvation belongs wholly to God (Jonah 2:9), and He is the stronghold of those who trust Him (Nahum 1:7; Psalm 46:1).

  • Psalm 37:39-40 (BSB)
    “The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The LORD helps and delivers them; He rescues and saves them from the wicked, because they take refuge in Him.”
    The psalm ends with the LORD as the source of the righteous' salvation and their refuge.
  • Jonah 2:9 (BSB)
    “But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!””
    Jonah confesses that salvation comes from the LORD alone.
  • Nahum 1:7 (BSB)
    “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.”
    The LORD is a stronghold who cares for those who trust Him.
  • Psalm 46:1 (BSB)
    “For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.”
    God is His people's refuge and ever-present help in trouble.

General

True or False: According to 37:18-19, the blameless will never have to live through hard times or famine.

Answer: False

This is false. The verses assume that God's people will face hard times. What they promise is that the LORD watches over the lives of the blameless (people of integrity who walk with God), so in an evil time they are not put to shame, and in famine they will have enough; their inheritance lasts forever (37:18-19). This is God's care for His people in trouble, not a promise that believers will escape all suffering. Other psalms show the faithful suffering greatly (Psalm 44:22), and Psalm 34:19 says the righteous have many troubles, yet the LORD rescues them. Paul learned contentment whether well fed or hungry (Philippians 4:11-12).

  • Psalm 37:18-19 (BSB)
    “The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will last forever. In the time of evil they will not be ashamed, and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.”
    God's care for the blameless holds even in times of evil and famine.
  • Psalm 44:22 (BSB)
    “Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
    God's faithful people are pictured suffering deeply for His sake.
  • Psalm 34:19 (BSB)
    “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”
    The righteous face many afflictions, and the LORD delivers them.
  • Philippians 4:11-12 (BSB)
    “I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need.”
    Paul learned contentment in both hunger and plenty.

Theological

True or False: 37:18-19 promises that the blameless will be kept from ever passing through times of evil and famine.

Answer: False

This is false. The verses presuppose the evil time and seasons of famine; their promise is the LORD's knowledge of the days of blameless people, so that they are not put to shame in the evil time and are satisfied in famine, with an inheritance that endures forever (37:18-19). The assurance is God's providential care within affliction, not exemption from it. Psalm 44:22 shows the faithful suffering for God's sake, Psalm 34:19 speaks of the righteous man's many afflictions and the LORD's deliverance, and Paul testifies to contentment in both plenty and hunger (Philippians 4:11-12).

  • Psalm 37:18-19 (BSB)
    “The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will last forever. In the time of evil they will not be ashamed, and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.”
    God's care for the blameless holds even in times of evil and famine.
  • Psalm 44:22 (BSB)
    “Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
    God's faithful people are pictured suffering deeply for His sake.
  • Psalm 34:19 (BSB)
    “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”
    The righteous face many afflictions, and the LORD delivers them.
  • Philippians 4:11-12 (BSB)
    “I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances. I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. In any and every situation I have learned the secret of being filled and being hungry, of having plenty and having need.”
    Paul learned contentment in both hunger and plenty.

General

According to 37:23-24, why is the righteous person not overwhelmed when he falls?

Answer: The LORD keeps hold of his hand

The LORD directs the steps of the person who walks with Him and delights in the path he takes (37:23). Such a person may stumble, but he is not thrown down for good, because the LORD keeps hold of his hand (37:24). His security rests on God's grip, not on his own strength or record. Another psalm praises the LORD for lifting up everyone who falls (Psalm 145:14). Scripture teaches that God keeps His people to the end, which is called the perseverance of the saints: God holds true believers so that they are never finally lost. Jesus said nobody can snatch His sheep from His or His Father's hand (John 10:28-29), and Jude praises God as able to guard believers from stumbling (Jude 1:24).

  • Psalm 37:23-24 (BSB)
    “The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.”
    The LORD directs the steps of the righteous and holds him up when he falls.
  • Psalm 145:14 (BSB)
    “The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.”
    The LORD holds up everyone who falls and raises those bowed low.
  • John 10:28-29 (BSB)
    “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
    Jesus promises that nobody can snatch His sheep from His or the Father's hand.
  • Jude 1:24 (BSB)
    “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—”
    God is able to keep believers from stumbling and present them blameless.

Theological

What ground does 37:24 give for the righteous man's recovery after he stumbles?

Answer: The LORD keeps hold of his hand

The LORD orders the steps of the one whose way He delights in (37:23), and though that man falls he is not hurled down, because the LORD upholds his hand (37:24). The stability of the righteous rests on God's upholding grasp, not on their own steadfastness. The LORD sustains all who fall (Psalm 145:14); such is the preservation of the saints: God keeps His own so that their falls are never final, as Christ promises that none of His sheep will be snatched from His or the Father's hand (John 10:28-29), and Jude ascribes to God the power to guard believers from stumbling (Jude 1:24).

  • Psalm 37:23-24 (BSB)
    “The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.”
    The LORD directs the steps of the righteous and holds him up when he falls.
  • Psalm 145:14 (BSB)
    “The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.”
    The LORD holds up everyone who falls and raises those bowed low.
  • John 10:28-29 (BSB)
    “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
    Jesus promises that nobody can snatch His sheep from His or the Father's hand.
  • Jude 1:24 (BSB)
    “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—”
    God is able to keep believers from stumbling and present them blameless.

General

Why does the Lord laugh at the wicked who plot against the righteous in 37:12-13?

Answer: He sees that their day of judgment is on its way

The wicked plot against godly people and grind their teeth in hatred (37:12). But the Lord is not worried. He laughs, because He sees that their day, the time when He will judge them, is already on its way (37:13). God's laughter is not cruelty; it shows how small and doomed their threats are next to His power. Psalm 2:4 uses the same picture of God in heaven laughing at rulers who rebel against Him. Because God will repay, His people do not need to take revenge (Romans 12:19).

  • Psalm 37:12-13 (BSB)
    “The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.”
    The Lord laughs at the plotting of the wicked because their judgment is certain.
  • Psalm 2:4 (BSB)
    “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.”
    God enthroned in heaven laughs at the rulers who rebel against Him and His Anointed.
  • Romans 12:19 (BSB)
    “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.””
    Because vengeance belongs to God, believers leave room for His wrath.

Theological

What reason does 37:13 give for the Lord's laughter at the schemes of the wicked?

Answer: He sees that their day of judgment is on its way

The scheming and gnashing of the wicked (37:12) are met not with divine anxiety but with laughter, because the Lord sees their day approaching (37:13), the appointed time of His judgment. The anthropomorphism expresses the utter disproportion between creaturely hostility and the sovereign Judge, as in Psalm 2:4, where the enthroned One laughs at the rebellious kings. Judgment belongs to God, which frees His people from vengeance (Romans 12:19).

  • Psalm 37:12-13 (BSB)
    “The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.”
    The Lord laughs at the plotting of the wicked because their judgment is certain.
  • Psalm 2:4 (BSB)
    “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.”
    God enthroned in heaven laughs at the rulers who rebel against Him and His Anointed.
  • Romans 12:19 (BSB)
    “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.””
    Because vengeance belongs to God, believers leave room for His wrath.

General

According to 37:14-15, what happens to the weapons the wicked take up against the poor and the upright?

Answer: They turn against their owners and are broken

Wicked people have drawn swords and bent bows to kill the poor and those who live uprightly (37:14). But their plans backfire: their swords end up in their own hearts, while their bows snap (37:15). The Bible often describes this kind of justice, in which evil comes back on the one who planned it. Psalm 7:15-16 and Proverbs 26:27 describe a man falling into the pit he dug, and Haman was hanged on the very gallows meant for Mordecai (Esther 7:10).

  • Psalm 37:14-15 (BSB)
    “The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.”
    The weapons of the wicked are turned back against them.
  • Psalm 7:15-16 (BSB)
    “He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.”
    The one who digs a pit falls into it, and his violence returns on his own head.
  • Proverbs 26:27 (BSB)
    “He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.”
    Harm planned for others rolls back on the one who planned it.
  • Esther 7:10 (BSB)
    “So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.”
    Haman dies on the gallows he had built to kill Mordecai.

Theological

What reversal does 37:15 announce for the sword and bow of the wicked?

Answer: They turn against their owners and are broken

The violence of the wicked (37:14) is turned back upon themselves: the sword enters their own heart and the bow is broken (37:15). This is the biblical pattern of retributive reversal, in which God's justice makes the scheme of the wicked the means of his own ruin, seen in Psalm 7:15-16, Proverbs 26:27, and the fate of Haman, hanged on the gallows meant for Mordecai (Esther 7:10).

  • Psalm 37:14-15 (BSB)
    “The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.”
    The weapons of the wicked are turned back against them.
  • Psalm 7:15-16 (BSB)
    “He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.”
    The one who digs a pit falls into it, and his violence returns on his own head.
  • Proverbs 26:27 (BSB)
    “He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.”
    Harm planned for others rolls back on the one who planned it.
  • Esther 7:10 (BSB)
    “So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.”
    Haman dies on the gallows he had built to kill Mordecai.

General

What is the basis for the statement in 37:25 that the speaker had never seen godly people abandoned?

Answer: His own observation over a long life

David speaks as an old man looking back: in all his years he had never seen godly people abandoned or their sons and daughters forced to beg for food (37:25). This is an old man's testimony about the general way God cares for His people and their families, and the next verse links it with their generous lives (37:26). It is not a promise that no believer will ever be poor or hungry. Hebrews 11:36-38 describes faithful people who were destitute and mistreated, and Psalm 44:22 speaks of believers facing death for God's sake. What never fails is God's presence: He has promised never to leave or abandon His people (Hebrews 13:5), and the Father knows what His children need (Matthew 6:31-32).

  • Psalm 37:25-26 (BSB)
    “I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread. They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.”
    David, now old, testifies to what he has observed of God's care for the righteous.
  • Hebrews 11:36-38 (BSB)
    “Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.”
    Faithful believers are described as destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.
  • Psalm 44:22 (BSB)
    “Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
    God's people suffer for His sake even while faithful to Him.
  • Hebrews 13:5 (BSB)
    “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.””
    God's promise never to leave His people is the believer's sure ground of contentment.
  • Matthew 6:31-32 (BSB)
    “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
    The Father knows the needs of His children, so they need not worry.

Theological

On what does David ground the claim of 37:25 about the righteous and their children?

Answer: His own observation over a long life

The verse is testimony, not a legal guarantee: David, now old, says that across his life he has not seen the righteous forsaken or their offspring begging bread (37:25). It is wisdom drawn from long observation of God's providential care for godly people and their households, connected in 37:26 with their generosity. It states the general pattern of God's blessing, not a formula that excludes poverty for any believer; Hebrews 11:36-38 records faithful saints destitute and afflicted, and Psalm 44:22 shows the covenant people suffering for God's sake. The unfailing promise is God's presence (Hebrews 13:5) and the Father's knowledge of His children's needs (Matthew 6:31-32).

  • Psalm 37:25-26 (BSB)
    “I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread. They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.”
    David, now old, testifies to what he has observed of God's care for the righteous.
  • Hebrews 11:36-38 (BSB)
    “Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.”
    Faithful believers are described as destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.
  • Psalm 44:22 (BSB)
    “Yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
    God's people suffer for His sake even while faithful to Him.
  • Hebrews 13:5 (BSB)
    “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.””
    God's promise never to leave His people is the believer's sure ground of contentment.
  • Matthew 6:31-32 (BSB)
    “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
    The Father knows the needs of His children, so they need not worry.