TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 37:7–20. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In these verses we have,
I.The foregoing precepts inculcated; for we are so apt to disquiet ourselves with needless fruitless discontents and distrusts that it is necessary there should be precept upon precept, and line upon line, to suppress them and arm us against them.
1.Let us compose ourselves by believing in God: "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him (Psa 37:7), that is, be well reconciled to all he does and acquiesce in it, for that is best that is, because it is what God has appointed; and be well satisfied that he will still make all to work for good to us, though we know not how or which way." Be silent to the Lord (so the word is), not with a sullen, but a submissive silence. A patient bearing of what is laid upon us, with a patient expectation of what is further appointed for us, is as much our interest as it is our duty, for it will make us always easy; and there is a great deal of reason for it, for it is making a virtue of necessity.
2.Let us not discompose ourselves at what we see in this world: "Fret not thyself because of him who prospers in his wicked way, who, though he is a bad man, yet thrives and grows rich and great in the world; no, nor because of him who does mischief with his power and wealth, and brings wicked devices to pass against those that are virtuous and good, who seems to have gained his point and to have run them down. If thy heart begins to rise at it, stroke down thy folly, and cease from anger (Psa 37:8), check the first stirrings of discontent and envy, and do not harbour any hard thoughts of God and his providence upon this account. Be not angry at any thing that God does, but forsake that wrath; it is the worst kind of wrath that can be. Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil; do not envy them their prosperity, lest thou be tempted to fall in with them and to take the same evil course that they take to enrich and advance themselves or some desperate course to avoid them and their power." Note, A fretful discontented spirit lies open to many temptations; and those that indulge it are in danger of doing evil.
II.The foregoing reasons, taken from the approaching ruin of the wicked notwithstanding their prosperity, and the real happiness of the righteous notwithstanding their troubles, are here much enlarged upon and the same things repeated in a pleasing variety of expression. We were cautioned (Psa 37:7) not to envy the wicked either worldly prosperity or the success of their plots against the righteous, and the reasons here given respect these two temptations severally: -
1.Good people have no reason to envy the worldly prosperity of wicked people, nor to grieve or be uneasy at it,
(1.)Because the prosperity of the wicked will soon be at an end (Psa 37:9): Evil-doers shall be cut off by some sudden stroke of divine justice in the midst of their prosperity; what they have got by sin will not only flow away from them (Job 20:28), but they shall be carried away with it. See the end of these men (Psa 73:17), how dear their ill-got gain will cost them, and you will be far from envying them or from being willing to espouse their lot, for better, for worse. Their ruin is sure, and it is very near (Psa 37:10): Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be what they now are; they are brought into desolation in a moment, Psa 73:19. Have a little patience, for the Judge stands before the door, Jam 5:8, Jam 5:9. Moderate your passion, for the Lord is at hand, Phi 4:5. And when their ruin comes it will be an utter ruin; he and his shall be extirpated; the day that comes shall leave him neither root nor branch (Mal 4:1): Thou shalt diligently consider his place, where but the other day he made a mighty figure, but it shall not be, you will not find it; he shall leave nothing valuable, nothing honourable, behind. him. To the same purport (Psa 37:20), The wicked shall perish; their death is their perdition, because it is the termination of all their joy and a passage to endless misery. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord; but undone, for ever undone, are the dead that die in their sins. The wicked are the enemies of the Lord; such those make themselves who will not have him to reign over them, and as such he will reckon with them: They shall consume as the fat of lambs, they shall consume into smoke. Their prosperity, which gratifies their sensuality, is like the fat of lambs, not solid or substantial, but loose and washy; and, when their ruin comes, they shall fall as sacrifices to the justice of God and be consumed as the fat of the sacrifices was upon the altar, whence it ascended in smoke. The day of God's vengeance on the wicked is represented as a sacrifice of the fat of the kidneys of rams (Isa 34:6); for he will be honoured by the ruin of his enemies, as he was by the sacrifices. Damned sinners are sacrifices, Mar 9:49. This is a good reason why we should not envy them their prosperity; while they are fed to the full, they are but in the fattening for the day of sacrifice, like a lamb in a large place (Hos 4:16), and the more they prosper the more will God be glorified in their ruin.
(2.)Because the condition of the righteous, even in this life, is every way better and more desirable than that of the wicked, Psa 37:16. In general, a little that a righteous man has of the honour, wealth, and pleasure of this world, is better than the riches of many wicked. Observe,
[1.]The wealth of the world is so dispensed by the divine Providence that it is often the lot of good people to have but a little of it, and of wicked people to have abundance of it; for thus God would show us that the things of this world are not the best things, for, if they were, those would have most that are best and dearest to God.
[2.]That a godly man's little is really better than a wicked man's estate, though ever so much; for it comes from a better hand, from a hand of special love and not merely from a hand of common providence, - it is enjoyed by a better title (God gives it to them by promise, Gal 3:18), - it is theirs by virtue of their relation to Christ, who is the heir of all things, - and it is put to better use; it is sanctified to them by the blessing of God. Unto the pure all things are pure, Tit 1:15. A little wherewith God is served and honoured is better than a great deal prepared for Baal or for a base lust. The promises here made to the righteous secure them such a happiness that they need not envy the prosperity of evil-doers. Let them know to their comfort, First, That they shall inherit the earth, as much of it as Infinite Wisdom sees good for them; they have the promise of the life that now is, Ti1 4:8. If all the earth were necessary to make them happy, they should have it. All is theirs, even the world, and things present, as well as things to come, Co1 3:21, Co1 3:22. They have it by inheritance, a safe and honourable title, not by permission only and connivance. When evil-doers are cut off the righteous sometimes inherit what they gathered. The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just, Job 27:17; Pro 13:22. This promise is here made, 1. To those that live a life of faith (Psa 37:9); Those that wait upon the Lord, as dependents on him, expectants from him, and suppliants to him, shall inherit the earth, as a token of his present favour to them and an earnest of better things intended for them in the other world. God is a good Master, that provides plentifully and well, not only for his working servants, but for his waiting servants. 2. To those that live a quiet and peaceable life (Psa 37:11): The meek shall inherit the earth. They are in least danger of being injured and disturbed in the possession of what they have and they have most satisfaction in themselves and consequently the sweetest relish of their creature-comforts. Our Saviour has made this a gospel promise, and a confirmation of the blessings he pronounced on the meek, Mat 5:5. Secondly, That they shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace, Psa 37:11. Perhaps they have not abundance of wealth to delight in; but they have that which is better, abundance of peace, inward peace and tranquility of mind, peace with God, and then peace in God, that great peace which those have that love God's law, whom nothing shall offend (Psa 119:165), that abundance of peace which is in the kingdom of Christ (Psa 72:7), that peace which the world cannot give (Joh 14:27), and which the wicked cannot have, Isa 57:21. This they shall delight themselves in, and in it they shall have a continual feast; while those that have abundance of wealth do but cumber and perplex themselves with it and have little delight in it. Thirdly, That God knows their days, Psa 37:18. He takes particular notice of them, of all they do and of all that happens to them. He keeps account of the days of their service, and not one day's work shall go unrewarded, and of the days of their suffering, that for those also they may receive a recompence. He knows their bright days, and has pleasure in their prosperity; he knows their cloudy and dark days, the days of their affliction, and as the day is so shall the strength be. Fourthly, That their inheritance shall be for ever; not their inheritance in the earth, but that incorruptible indefeasible one which is laid up for them in heaven. Those that are sure of an everlasting inheritance in the other world have no reason to envy the wicked their transitory possessions and pleasures in this world. Fifthly, That in the worst of times it shall go well with them (Psa 37:19): They shall not be ashamed of their hope and confidence in God, nor of the profession they have made of religion; for the comfort of that will stand them in stead, and be a real support to them, in evil times. When others droop they shall lift up their heads with joy and confidence: Even in the days of famine, when others are dying for hunger round about them, they shall be satisfied, as Elijah was; in some way or other God will provide food convenient for them, or give them hearts to be satisfied and content without it, so that, if they should be hardly bestead and hungry, they shall not (as the wicked do) fret themselves and curse their king and their God (Isa 7:21), but rejoice in God as the God of their salvation even when the fig-tree does not blossom, Hab 3:17, Hab 3:18.
2.Good people have no reason to fret at the occasional success of the designs of the wicked against the just. Though they do bring some of their wicked devices to pass, which makes us fear they will gain their point and bring them all to pass, yet let us cease from anger, and not fret ourselves so as to think of giving up the cause. For,
(1.)Their plots will be their shame, Psa 37:12, Psa 37:13. It is true the wicked plotteth against the just; there is a rooted enmity in the seed of the wicked one against the righteous seed; their aim is, if they can, to destroy their righteousness, or, if that fail, then to destroy them. With this end in view they have acted with a great deal both of cursed policy and contrivance (they plot, they practice, against the just), and of cursed zeal and fury - they gnash upon them with their teeth, so desirous are they, if they could get it into their power, to eat them up, and so full of rage and indignation are they because it is not in their power; but by all this they do but make themselves ridiculous. The Lord shall laugh at them, Psa 2:4, Psa 2:5. They are proud and insolent, but God shall pour contempt upon them. he is not only displeased with them, but he despises them and all their attempts as vain and ineffectual, and their malice as impotent and in a chain; for he sees that his day is coming, that is,
[1.]The day of God's reckoning, the day of the revelation of his righteousness, which now seems clouded and eclipsed. Men have their day now. This is your hour, Luk 22:53. But God will have his day shortly, a day of recompences, a day which will set all to rights, and render that ridiculous which now passes for glorious. It is a small thing to be judged of man's judgment, Co1 4:3. God's day will give a decisive judgment.
[2.]The day of their ruin. The wicked man's day, the day set for his fall, that day is coming, which denotes delay; it has not yet come, but certainly it will come. The believing prospect of that day will enable the virgin, the daughter of Zion, to despise the rage of her enemies and laugh them to scorn, Isa 37:22.
(2.)Their attempts will be their destruction, Psa 37:14, Psa 37:15. See here,
[1.]How cruel they are in their designs against good people. They prepare instruments of death, the sword and the bow, no less will serve; they hunt for the precious life. That which they design is to cast down and slay; it is the blood of the saints they thirst after. They carry on the design very far, and it is near to be put in execution: They have drawn the sword, and bent the bow; and all these military preparations are made against the helpless, the poor and needy (which proves them to be very cowardly), and against the guiltless, such as are of upright conversation, that never gave them any provocation, nor offered injury to them or any other person, which proves them to be very wicked. Uprightness itself will be no fence against their malice. But,
[2.]How justly their malice recoils upon themselves: Their sword shall turn into their own heart, which implies the preservation of the righteous from their malice and the filling up of the measure of their own iniquity by it. Sometimes that very thing proves to be their own destruction which they projected against their harmless neighbours; however, God's sword, which their provocations have drawn against them, will give them their death's wound.
(3.)Those that are not suddenly cut off shall yet be so disabled for doing any further mischief that the interests of the church shall be effectually secured: Their bows shall be broken (Psa 37:15); the instruments of their cruelty shall fail them and they shall lose those whom they had made tools of to serve their bloody purposes with; nay, their arms shall be broken, so that they shall not be able to go on with their enterprises, Psa 37:17. But the Lord upholds the righteous, so that they neither sink under the weight of their afflictions nor are crushed by the violence of their enemies. He upholds them both in their integrity and in their prosperity; and those that are so upheld by the rock of ages have no reason to envy the wicked the support of their broken reeds.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
(Verse 17.) For the arms, he says, of the sinners will be broken. So that their actions cannot bring any impediment to the righteous; so that the rod of the sinners is not left over the lot of the righteous. And Paul says: May God crush Satan under your feet (Rom. XVI, 20). For if his arm has been broken, he himself will be completely crushed, and his comments will be trampled upon, like the venom of a serpent.
But the Lord strengthens the righteous, with the arm of the adversary broken. And therefore the righteous says: And you have confirmed your hand upon me (Ps. 37:3). And Job says: The hand of the Lord has touched me (Job 19:21). So the Lord sent his hand upon his servant, and he broke the hand of the sinner that he had sent against him with power. Thus the devil was deceived by his own words, who said: Stretch forth your hand against him, and let us see if he will not bless you to your face (Job 2:5). For he did not dare to say curses, but he left this to be understood. God sent his hand, and Job was strengthened. He began to bless, who was believed to curse; for he heals the righteous, when the divine hand touches, it does not harm. He sent his hand, and every spot of leprosy fled; he touched the eyes of the blind, and the blindness was removed, and the light of the eyes shone forth. Therefore, always seek to be strengthened, for even you who stand, see lest you fall. We must stand in order to be strengthened by the Lord. The world is slippery, we swiftly slide. Therefore, let us pray that the Lord deems us worthy to establish and strengthen us.
..."For the arms of the wicked shall be broken" [Psalm 37:17]. Now by "their arms" is meant their power. What will he do in hell? Will it be what the rich man had to do, he who was wont "to fare sumptuously" in the upper world, and in hell "was tormented"? Therefore their arms shall be broken; "but the Lord upholds the righteous." How does He "uphold" them? What says He unto them? Even what is said in another Psalm, "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage; and let your heart be strengthened. Wait, I say, on the Lord." What is meant by this, "Wait on the Lord"? Thou sufferest but for a time; you shall rest for ever: your trouble is short; your happiness is to be everlasting. It is but for "a little while" you are to sorrow; your joy shall have no end. But in the midst of trouble does your "foot" begin to "slip"? The example even of Christ's sufferings is set before you. Consider what He endured for you, in whom no cause was found why He should endure it? How great soever be your sufferings, you will not come to those insults, those scourgings, to that robe of shame, to that crown of thorns, and last of all to that Cross, which He endured; because that is now removed from the number of human punishments. For though under the ancients criminals were crucified, in the present day no one is crucified. It was honoured, and it came to an end. It came to an end as a punishment; it is continued in glory. It has removed from the place of execution to the foreheads of Emperors. He who has invested His very sufferings with such honour, what does He reserve for His faithful servants?...
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Summary
Psalms 37:17 offers a profound theological contrast, declaring the inevitable collapse of the wicked's power and schemes while affirming the Lord's unwavering and active sustenance of the righteous. This verse serves as a bedrock of assurance for believers, highlighting God's sovereign justice and His faithful commitment to His covenant people, providing comfort amidst the often-perplexing prosperity of evildoers in the present age. It distills the psalm's core message of divine retribution and steadfast divine care.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 37 is a didactic wisdom psalm, structured as an acrostic poem (though not perfectly preserved in all translations), designed to instruct and comfort the righteous who are often troubled by the apparent success of the wicked. It opens with the repeated exhortation, "Fret not thyself because of evildoers" (see Psalm 37:1), setting the tone for a sustained argument against envy, impatience, and discouragement. Throughout its verses, the psalm meticulously contrasts the temporary, ultimately futile prosperity of the wicked with the enduring blessing, security, and inheritance of the righteous. Verse 17 precisely encapsulates this overarching theme through a concise, antithetical statement, reinforcing the psalm's central message of God's ultimate justice and His steadfast support for those who trust in Him. It functions as a summary declaration within the broader argument for patient endurance.
Historical & Cultural Context
Composed likely during a period when the faithful in Israel experienced oppression or observed the flourishing of those who disregarded God's law, Psalm 37 addresses a perennial human dilemma. In ancient Israelite society, prosperity was often interpreted as a tangible sign of divine favor, while suffering or lack could be seen as an indication of divine disfavor. This created significant theological tension for righteous individuals who frequently faced hardship while the ungodly seemed to thrive. The psalm directly confronts this theological problem, asserting that outward appearances are deceptive and that God's justice operates on a divine timeline and scale that transcends immediate human perception. It speaks to a community grappling with the implications of covenant faithfulness in a world that often appeared to reward unrighteousness, urging them to maintain their trust in the Lord rather than succumbing to despair, envy, or resorting to self-vindication.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several foundational themes within Psalm 37 and the broader corpus of biblical wisdom literature. Firstly, it articulates the theme of Divine Justice and Retribution, asserting God's ultimate and inevitable judgment against unrighteousness. The "broken arms" signify the complete incapacitation of the wicked's power and their inability to execute their harmful schemes, echoing the principle of divine consequence found throughout wisdom texts, such as Proverbs 11:21. Secondly, it emphasizes God's Unwavering Support for the Righteous, portraying the Lord as an active, faithful, and continuously sustaining presence in the lives of those who walk in His ways. This divine "upholding" ensures their stability, protection, and ultimate well-being, even amidst trials, aligning with assurances found in passages like Isaiah 41:10. Finally, the verse underscores the profound Contrast of Destinies between the wicked and the righteous, a recurring motif throughout the psalm (e.g., Psalm 37:9-11), vividly portraying a future where the wicked face a loss of power and eventual downfall, while the righteous are guaranteed divine sustenance and security.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
While literally referring to the physical limb, in this context, "arms" functions as a powerful metaphor for strength, power, might, and the means by which one acts or executes plans. "The arms of the wicked" therefore refers to their perceived influence, their capacity to oppress, their schemes, and their ability to achieve their unrighteous goals. The breaking of these arms signifies not merely a physical injury but a complete and utter incapacitation of their effective power and influence, rendering their evil intentions futile and their efforts powerless against divine sovereignty.
This verb means to burst, shatter, or crush. When applied metaphorically to "arms" (representing power), it conveys a decisive, irreversible, and often violent destruction of the wicked's strength and ability. It implies a divine intervention that completely dismantles their capacity to oppress or succeed in their evil endeavors, highlighting the futility of their efforts against God's ultimate will. This term emphasizes the certainty and finality of their downfall.
This word conveys the sense of leaning upon, supporting, sustaining, or bolstering. It describes a strong, reliable, and active divine support that is continuous and unwavering. It is not a passive observation but an active, ongoing act of God ensuring the stability, security, and well-being of the righteous. This divine "upholding" prevents them from falling, being overwhelmed, or being completely overcome by adversity, testifying to God's faithful and sustaining presence in the lives of those who trust in Him.
Verse Breakdown
"For the arms of the wicked shall be broken"
This initial clause serves as a declarative statement of divine judgment and the inevitable demise of the wicked's perceived power. The "arms" here are a potent metaphor for their strength, influence, resources, and capacity to act against God's will or His people. The phrase "shall be broken" signifies a complete and decisive incapacitation, implying that their schemes, their oppression, and their apparent worldly success are temporary and will ultimately be dismantled by God's sovereign hand. This is a promise of divine retribution, assuring the righteous that the perceived might of evildoers is fleeting and will be rendered utterly useless.
"but the LORD upholdeth the righteous"
This second clause stands in stark and powerful contrast to the first, highlighting God's active, personal, and unwavering support for those who live in accordance with His will. The conjunction "but" emphatically underscores the antithetical nature of the two destinies. "The LORD" (Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God) underscores the personal and relational source of this support. "Upholdeth" signifies a continuous, active, and reliable sustaining presence. It means God provides stability, strength, protection, and assurance to the righteous, ensuring they do not stumble, fall, or are utterly overcome, even when facing adversity or the apparent prosperity of the wicked. This is a profound testament to God's faithfulness and His steadfast commitment to His people, ensuring their ultimate security.
Literary Devices
Psalm 37:17 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound message with clarity and impact. The most prominent is Antithesis, a rhetorical device that juxtaposes two sharply contrasting ideas or statements to highlight their differences. Here, the "broken arms of the wicked" are set in direct opposition to the "LORD upholdeth the righteous," emphasizing the divergent and ultimate outcomes for these two distinct groups. This creates a powerful sense of divine justice, where one group faces total incapacitation and the other receives divine sustenance. Metaphor is also powerfully evident in "the arms of the wicked," where "arms" symbolize power, strength, and the means of action, rather than literal limbs. The "breaking" of these arms is likewise metaphorical, signifying the complete destruction of their influence and capacity for evil. This vivid imagery makes the abstract concept of divine judgment tangible and impactful. Finally, the verse utilizes Parallelism, specifically antithetical parallelism, where the second line presents a contrasting thought to the first, reinforcing the central theme of God's just and ordered universe. The very structure of the verse underscores the certainty and inevitability of these opposing destinies.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 37:17 is a profound theological declaration concerning divine justice and the very nature of God's relationship with humanity, particularly in the face of perceived injustice. It offers unwavering assurance to believers that God is neither indifferent to the deeds of the wicked nor to the struggles of the righteous. The breaking of the wicked's power is a definitive act of God's sovereignty, demonstrating unequivocally that no human strength, evil scheme, or oppressive force can ultimately prevail against His divine will. Conversely, God's active upholding of the righteous underscores His covenant faithfulness and His intimate, active involvement in the lives of His people, providing them with stability, security, and ultimate vindication. This verse thus speaks to the core theological truth that God is both a righteous judge who brings down the proud and a faithful Father who sustains His children, inviting trust, patience, and unwavering faith rather than envy or despair in the face of worldly inequities.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 37:17 offers profound encouragement and a vital call to unwavering faith for believers navigating a world often characterized by blatant injustice and the apparent prosperity of the ungodly. It directly confronts the natural human tendency to fret, envy, or become discouraged when the wicked seem to flourish, reminding us that their success is ultimately illusory and temporary, built on a foundation that God will inevitably dismantle. Our true security and well-being are not found in our own strength, worldly achievements, or the absence of trials, but in the active, continuous, and sustaining presence of the LORD. This verse calls us to cultivate patience, to steadfastly trust in God's perfect timing, and to persevere in doing good, knowing that God's justice operates on His divine timeline, which is always perfect. It reassures us that living righteously, according to God's commands, is not a path to hardship without divine support, but rather to divine favor and protection, ensuring that even when we stumble or face adversity, God's hand is there to uphold us. Therefore, our focus should remain steadfastly on God and His eternal promises, rather than on the fleeting fortunes and deceptive power of this world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does it seem like the wicked often prosper in this life, contrary to what this verse says?
This is a common and ancient question, addressed extensively in biblical wisdom literature (e.g., Psalm 73 and the book of Job). Psalms 37:17, like much of the Bible, operates on the principle of ultimate divine justice, which may not always be immediately apparent in our temporal experience. The "breaking of the arms" refers to the eventual, inevitable incapacitation of the wicked's power and their ultimate downfall, which can manifest in various ways—through natural consequences, divine intervention, or in the eschatological judgment. The prosperity of the wicked is often fleeting, superficial, or lacks true peace and security. The verse encourages a long-term, faith-filled perspective, trusting that God's justice will prevail, even if it doesn't align with our immediate expectations or timeline, reminding us that God's ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
What does it mean for the LORD to "uphold" the righteous? Is it always protection from harm?
To "uphold" (Hebrew çâmak) signifies active, continuous support, sustenance, and stability. It means God provides the strength, resources, and presence needed for the righteous to endure and persevere. This doesn't necessarily mean absolute protection from all harm, suffering, or physical death in this life. Righteous individuals may still face trials, persecution, or hardship (as seen in the lives of prophets like Jeremiah, or apostles like Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28). However, "upholding" ensures that they are not utterly destroyed, that their faith does not fail, and that they are ultimately sustained through difficulties, leading to their eternal well-being and vindication. It speaks to God's spiritual, emotional, and existential support, ensuring their ultimate security in Him, regardless of their immediate circumstances (Philippians 4:13).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 37:17 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "arms of the wicked" can be understood as representing the dominion and power of sin, death, and the devil, which held all humanity captive. Through His crucifixion and glorious resurrection, Christ decisively "broke" these arms, disarming the spiritual principalities and powers that sought to oppress humanity. As Colossians 2:15 powerfully declares, He "disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him." The apparent triumph of evil on the cross was, in fact, the very means by which its power was shattered and its dominion overthrown. Conversely, Jesus Christ is the quintessential "Righteous One," perfectly obedient and without sin, whom the Father perfectly "upheld." Though He suffered immensely, even unto death, the Father raised Him from the dead, vindicating His righteousness and establishing Him as Lord over all creation (Acts 2:24). This divine upholding is now graciously extended to all who believe in Him; through Christ, we are declared righteous by faith (Romans 3:22) and are subsequently upheld by the very same incomparably great power that raised Christ from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20). Thus, the promise of the wicked's downfall and the righteous's divine support is not merely a moral principle or a general truth, but a redemptive reality secured and made available to us through Christ, offering believers an unshakable and eternal foundation in Him.