Embrace the Word for Monday, March 16, 2026
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Psalm 37 provides instruction in wisdom. As the superscription simply states, this Psalm “Of David,” is the reflection of an aging David (37:25) concerning the differences between the wicked and the righteous. In many ways, Psalm 37 builds off of Psalm 1, in that it offers more description of the wicked and the righteous, as well as a clearer presentation of their distinct futures: “for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off” (37:22,). The righteous inheriting the land while the wicked being cut off will be a reoccurring refrain in Psalm 37 (37:3,9,22,28-29,34,38). Psalm 37, is nearly a complete acrostic, minus one Hebrew letter, as every other verse begins with a new letter. Psalm 37, as a wisdom-oriented Psalm shares much with the Book of Proverbs, as there are many, many parallels between statements contained in Psalm 37 and statements found in Proverbs. Psalm 37 shares several common connections with Psalm 36, but one that stands out the most is the connection between the ending of Psalm 36 and the opening of Psalm 37. Psalm 36 ends with a statement about the future of the wicked: “There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise” (36:12). Psalm 37 starts with an acknowledgement of the presence of evil doers but quickly inserts a reassurance that their existence is short-lived: “Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb” (37:1-2).
While Psalm 37 is probably impossible to outline, there does seem to be some structural arrangement. The first two verses serve as something of an orientation: “Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb” (37:1-2). These two verses introduce us to the posture that we are to have. David admonishes the righteous to control their responses to the wicked. The righteous should neither get all worked up in anger toward the wicked, nor become enticed to follow in the way of the wicked (We should guard against becoming exceedingly distressed by the ways of the wicked, and becoming excessively obsessed with the ways of the wicked). One factor that can help regulate a proper perspective toward the wicked is to simply remember that they will not be around for very long.
After cautioning the righteous to carefully watch their response to the wicked, David puts forth several positive actions. The next seven verses fill in more details concerning the posture that we are to have. We are not simply to refrain from getting overly heated up against the wicked as well as not get too close with the wicked, but we as the righteous, are to cultivate constructive attitudes and actions. First, the righteous are to focus on the LORD: “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness” (37:3). Our primary concern must not be the wicked and what they are up to; we must keep our hearts turned to the LORD and out of that heart posture, actively practice doing good. Befriending faithfulness is simply a way of saying that our faith in the LORD should give rise to faithfulness to the LORD. Second, the righteous are to center their desires on the LORD: “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (37:4). To delight in the LORD is to grasp that our desires will be truly satisfied when they are directed toward Him. When we direct our desires to the LORD we will not be disappointed. Third, the righteous are to entrust their circumstances to the LORD: “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday” (37:5-6). There are matters that we cannot change or have control over. For those circumstantial matters, we must cast our cares upon the LORD, who will do the right thing at the right time. Fourth, the righteous are to wait upon the LORD: “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil” (37:7-8). As the wicked carry on, the righteous are to quiet their hearts in the LORD, waiting on Him rather than taking matters into our own hands. If we fail to manage our thoughts and feeling toward the wicked, we will tragically justify our own evil attitudes and actions. Throughout each of these postures that we are to cultivate, we must keep in mind the LORD’s sure promise: “For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land” (37:9).
After orienting the righteous as to the heart posture they are to cultivate, David next steers us to the perspective that we must maintain. David has just stated that the wicked will be “cut off” in regard to dwelling in the land. David will revisit that fact again: “for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off” (37:22); and again: “the children of the wicked shall be cut off” (37:28b); and again: “you will look on when the wicked are cut off” (37:34b); and still yet again: “the future of the wicked shall be cut off” (37:38b). David hammers home the idea, which is an idea deeply embedded in the writings of Moses, that the wicked would be judged by being expelled from the Land, removed from the people of God, and die outside the land. This is all as a result of having broken their covenant before the LORD (See Genesis 17:14; Leviticus 7:20;19:8; Numbers 9:13). David keeps pressing the fact that what the LORD has promised to do with the wicked, He will surely do: “In just a little while, the wicked will be no more” (37:10a); “the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming” (37:13b); “their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken” (37:15a); “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken” (37:17a); “But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away” (37:20); “But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found” (37:36); and “But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed” (37:38a).
David states that the surety of the judgment upon the wicked would be, “in just a little while” (37:10a). That future perspective must shape how the present is observed and interpreted. David acknowledges that at the moment, this is what he sees: “The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him” (37:12a); “The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright” (37:14); “The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death” (37:32). At present, the wicked seem to be doing just fine—in fact, in some cases—very fine: “I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree” (37:35). But David is instructing us to take the long view. Our view of the future and thus the final outcome of God’s plans and promises must largely determine our present perspective. Our present perspective will in turn, shape our own attitudes and actions. Our understanding of the last things, that is, the things that are yet to come—the things that God has promised—is to get the last word on how we choose to live at the present. How and what the wicked may or may not be doing at present is not to control how we respond to the difficulties, pressures, and conflicts at hand. We know that it will not end well with the wicked: “God…has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (See Acts 17:30-31). It is this perspective—the certainty of judgment—that must be the perspective that we maintain. Maintaining such perspective is designed to contribute to the heart posture we must cultivate.
David not only orients us to a proper heart posture regarding the wicked, along with the future perspective we are to maintain, he also highlights the provisions that He presently gives to us. The LORD, orders, guides and sustains His people: “the LORD upholds the righteous” (37:17b). Every breathe, every step, every moment, every day throughout all of our lives, the LORD is ordering, guiding, and sustaining us: “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand” (37:23-24). We may not always grasp how the LORD is doing this, but we do not ever have to doubt that there is an interruption in His providential care. The steps that are established for us may take us to hard places and difficult locations, but we will always be supported by the invisible hand of God. The testimony of an older David speaks: “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing” (37:25-26). The LORD is only and always faithful to His covenant promises. And another provision that the LORD gives to his people, even as He orders, guides, and sustains, is that He supplies a warm assurance that He will order, guide, and sustain: “Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever” (37:27-29). David underscores the certain permanency of the LORD’s Word to His people. Thrice David states, “so shall you dwell forever,” “they are preserved forever,” and “dwell upon it forever.” God’s Spirit takes the sure Word of God and implants it deep into the hearts of His people so that we might have an inner confidence that God will get each of His children safely home: “The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip” (37:30-31). The God who gets His people home, is the God who supervises every step on the way home, ruling over even the plots of the wicked: “The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial” (37:32-33). The wicked may do much harm along the way, but they will never prevent the LORD’s people from safely arriving at home.
David concludes by instructing us as to what the proper posture, right perspective, and true provisions are meant to enable us to do: “Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land” (37:34a). In the face of the wicked, we turn to the face of God and we wait for Him. And yet, once again, we must see that waiting is never a passive resignation, for while we wait, we must, “keep His way.” While we cannot control the actions of the wicked, we are responsible and accountable for our own actions. Someone else’s decision to not keep the way of the LORD must not be a reason behind our decision to turn from keeping the way of the LORD. Such focus is only enabled and empowered through our focus upon the LORD and His promises: “The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him” (37:39-40). Only as we keep our eyes on the faithfulness of the LORD, are we afforded the grace to walk faithfully in the ways of the LORD.
As we reflect on Psalm 37 we can consider the teachings of Jesus. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we easily detect the influence of Psalm 37 on what Jesus taught. For instance, the third Beatitude, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (See Matthew 5:5). This echos: “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace” (37:11). David speaking of the LORD’s provision for the righteous throughout Psalm 37 coincides with “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (See Matthew 5:6). And David’s reassurances concerning the future of the righteous amid hostilities from the hand of the wicked, reflects: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (See Matthew 5:10). Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount deeply applies the call to practice a life of righteousness that is found in Psalm 37. The wisdom of Psalm 37 is still to be our practice today, for any other way of life has no sure foundation: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock” (See Matthew 7:24-25).
That’s all for Embrace the Word for Monday, March 16, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Wednesday, March 18, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 38.