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Commentary on Psalms 37 verses 21–33
These verses are much to the same purport with the foregoing verses of this psalm, for it is a subject worthy to be dwelt upon. Observe here,
I. What is required of us as the way to our happiness, which we may learn both from the characters here laid down and from the directions here given. If we would be blessed of God, 1. We must make conscience of giving every body his own; for the wicked borrows and pays not again, Psa 37:21. It is the first thing which the Lord our God requires of us, that we do justly, and render to all their due. It is not only a shameful paltry thing, but a sinful wicked thing, not to repay what we have borrowed. Some make this an instance, not so much of the wickedness of the wicked as of the misery and poverty to which they are reduced by the just judgment of God, that they shall be necessitated to borrow for their supply and then be in no capacity to repay it again, and so lie at the mercy of their creditors. Whatever some men seem to think of it, as it is a great sin for those that are able to deny the payment of their just debts, so it is a great misery not to be able to pay them. 2. We must be ready to all acts of charity and beneficence; for, as it is an instance of God's goodness to the righteous that he puts it into the power of his hand to be kind and to do good (and so some understand it, God's blessing increases his little to such a degree that he has abundance to spare for the relief of others), so it is an instance of the goodness of the righteous man that he has a heart proportionable to his estate: He shows mercy, and gives, Psa 37:21. He is ever merciful, or every day, or all the day, merciful, and lends, and sometimes there is as true charity in lending as in giving; and giving and lending are acceptable to God when they proceed from a merciful disposition in the heart, which, if it be sincere, will be constant, and will keep us from being weary of well-doing. he that is truly merciful will be ever merciful. 3. We must leave our sins, and engage in the practice of serious godliness (Psa 37:27): Depart from evil and do good. Cease to do evil and abhor it; learn to do well and cleave to it; this is true religion. 4. We must abound in good discourse, and with our tongues must glorify God and edify others. It is part of the character of a righteous man (Psa 37:30) that his mouth speaketh wisdom; not only he speaks wisely, but he speaks wisdom, like Solomon himself, for the instruction of those about him. His tongue talks not of things idle and impertinent, but of judgment, that is, of the word and providence of God and the rules of wisdom for the right ordering of the conversation. Out of the abundance of a good heart will the mouth speak that which is good and to the use of edifying. 5. We must have our wills brought into an entire subjection to the will and word of God (Psa 37:31): The law of God, of his God, is in his heart; and in vain do we pretend that God is our God if we do not receive his law into our hearts and resign ourselves to the government of it. It is but a jest and a mockery to speak wisdom, and to talk of judgment (Psa 37:30), unless we have the law in our hearts, and we think as we speak. The law of God must be a commanding ruling principle in the heart; it must be a light there, a spring there, and then the conversation will be regular and uniform: None of his steps will slide; it will effectually prevent backsliding into sin, and the uneasiness that follows from it.
II. What is assured to us, as instances of our happiness and comfort, upon these conditions.
1.That we shall have the blessing of God, and that blessing shall be the spring, and sweetness, and security of all our temporal comforts and enjoyments (Psa 37:22): Such as are blessed of God, as all the righteous are, with a Father's blessing, by virtue of that shall inherit the earth, or the land (for so the same word is translated, Psa 37:29), the land of Canaan, that glory of all lands. Our creature-comforts are comforts indeed to us when we see them flowing from the blessing of God, we are sure not to want any thing that is good for us in this world. The earth shall yield us her increase if God, as our own God, give us his blessing, Psa 67:6. And as those whom God blesses are thus blessed indeed (for they shall inherit the land), so those whom he curses are cursed indeed; they shall be cut off and rooted out, and their extirpation by the divine curse will set off the establishment of the righteous by the divine blessing and be a foil to it.
2.That God will direct and dispose of our actions and affairs so as may be most for his glory (Psa 37:23): The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. By his grace and Holy Spirit he directs the thoughts, affections, and designs of good men. He has all hearts in his hand, but theirs by their own consent. By his providence he overrules the events that concern them, so as to make their way plain before them, both what they should do and what they may expect. Observe, God orders the steps of a good man; not only his way in general, by his written word, but his particular steps, by the whispers of conscience, saying, This is the way, walk in it. He does not always show him his way at a distance, but leads him step by step, as children are led, and so keeps him in a continual dependence upon his guidance; and this, (1.) Because he delights in his way, and is well pleased with the paths of righteousness wherein he walks. The Lord knows the way of the righteous (Psa 1:6), knows it with favour, and therefore directs it. (2.) That he may delight in his way. Because God orders his way according to his own will, therefore he delights in it; for, as he loves his own image upon us, so he is well pleased with what we do under his guidance.
3.That God will keep us from being ruined by our falls either into sin or into trouble (Psa 37:24): Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down. (1.) A good man may be overtaken in a fault, but the grace of God shall recover him to repentance, so that he shall not be utterly cast down. Though he may, for a time, lose the joys of God's salvation, yet they shall be restored to him; for God shall uphold him with his hand, uphold him with his free Spirit. The root shall be kept alive, though the leaf wither; and there will come a spring after the winter. (2.) A good man may be in distress, his affairs embarrassed, his spirits sunk, but he shall not be utterly cast down; God will be the strength of his heart when his flesh and heart fail, and will uphold him with his comforts, so that the spirit he has made shall not fail before him.
4.That we shall not want the necessary supports of this life (Psa 37:25): "I have been young and now am old, and, among all the changes I have seen in men's outward condition and the observations I have made upon them, I never saw the righteous forsaken of God and man, as I have sometimes seen wicked people abandoned both by heaven and earth; nor do I ever remember to have seen the seed of the righteous reduced to such an extremity as to beg their bread." David had himself begged his bread of Abimelech the priest, but it was when Saul hunted him; and our Saviour has taught us to except the case of persecution for righteousness' sake out of all the temporal promises (Mar 10:30), because that has such peculiar honours and comforts attending it as make it rather a gift (as the apostle reckons it, Phi 1:29) than a loss or grievance. But there are very few instances of good men, or their families, that are reduced to such extreme poverty as many wicked people bring themselves to by their wickedness. He had not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread. Forsaken (so some expound it); if they do want God will raise them up friends to supply them, without a scandalous exposing of themselves to the reproach of common beggars; or, if they go from door to door for meat, it shall not be with despair, as the wicked man that wanders abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? Job 15:23. Nor shall he be denied, as the prodigal, that would fain have filled his belly, but no man gave unto him, Luk 15:16. Nor shall he grudge if he be not satisfied, as David's enemies, when they wandered up and down for meat, Psa 59:15. Some make this promise relate especially to those that are charitable and liberal to the poor, and to intimate that David never observed any that brought themselves to poverty by their charity. It is withholding more than is meet that tends to poverty, Pro 11:24.
5.That God will not desert us, but graciously protect us in our difficulties and straits (Psa 37:28): The Lord loves judgment; he delights in doing justice himself and he delights in those that do justice; and therefore he forsakes not his saints in affliction when others make themselves strange to them and become shy of them, but he takes care that they be preserved for ever, that is, that the saint in every age be taken under his protection, that the succession be preserved to the end of time, and that particular saints be preserved from all the temptations and through all the trials of this present time, to that happiness which shall be for ever. He will preserve them to his heavenly kingdom; that is a preservation for ever, Ti2 4:18; Psa 12:7.
6.That we shall have a comfortable settlement in this world, and in a better when we leave this. That we shall dwell for evermore (Psa 37:27), and not be cut off as the seed of the wicked, Psa 37:28. Those shall not be tossed that make God their rest and are at home in him. But on this earth there is no dwelling for ever, no continuing city; it is in heaven only, that city which has foundations, that the righteous shall dwell for ever; that will be their everlasting habitation.
7.That we shall not become a prey to our adversaries, who seek our ruin, Psa 37:32, Psa 37:33. There is an adversary that takes all opportunities to do us a mischief, a wicked one that watches the righteous (as a roaring lion watches his prey) and seeks to slay him. There are wicked men that do so, that are very subtle (they watch the righteous, that they may have an opportunity to do them a mischief effectually and may have a pretence wherewith to justify themselves in the doing of it), and very spiteful, for they seek to slay him. But it may very well be applied to the wicked one, the devil, that old serpent, who has his wiles to entrap the righteous, his devices which we should not be ignorant of, - that great red dragon, who seeks to slay them, - that roaring lion, who goes about continually, restless and raging, and seeking whom he may devour. But it is here promised that he shall not prevail, neither Satan nor his instruments. (1.) He shall not prevail as a field-adversary: The Lord will not leave him in his hand; he will not permit Satan to do what he would, nor will he withdraw his strength and grace from his people, but will enable them to resist and overcome him, and their faith shall not fail, Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32. A good man may fall into the hands of a messenger of Satan, and be sorely buffeted, but God will not leave him in his hands, Co1 10:13. (2.) He shall not prevail as a law-adversary: God will not condemn him when he is judged, though urged to do it by the accuser of the brethren, who accuses them before our God day and night. His false accusations will be thrown out, as those exhibited against Joshua (Zac 3:1, Zac 3:2), The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan! It is God that justifies, and then who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?
(Verses 27, 28, 29.) Turn away from evil and do good; and dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice, and will not forsake his saints: they will be preserved forever. But the wicked will be punished, and the seed of the wicked will perish. The righteous will inherit the land, and dwell forever upon it. These verses demonstrate that we belong to the Lord, and that he is the judge of our thoughts and actions, considering the merits of each individual. He does not act without judgment, but discerns between good and evil deeds. Therefore, it must be avoided and good must be done. Do not confuse good and evil; first, you must be free from sin; then, you must bear the fruits of innocence, so that you can be eternal. Do not think that your sins go unnoticed by God; for many fall in this way. He himself sees and condemns all things, and exterminates the seed of the wicked; indeed, the seed is not of physical generation, but of internal mind and succession of impiety (Job 1:1). For certainly Job, born of the seed of Esau, is testified in the Scripture. How then did the seed of Esau perish in Job, when he was such a great man, foreseeing the coming of the Lord to the earth, who would subdue the prince of this world, the devil? Therefore, this is questioned, lest evil be transferred to future generations. Christ works this through the sacrament of baptism, so that each person may put off what they were born with and put on what they are reborn with: so that they may become heirs not of their family, but of grace; so that they may acquire for themselves an eternal dwelling place. But whoever deserves to dwell in the world of ages, he himself shall honor God in the ages of ages.
"For the Lord loves judgment, and forsakes not His Saints" [Psalm 37:28]. When the Saints suffer affliction, think not that God does not judge, or does not judge righteously. Will He, who warns you to judge righteously, Himself judge unrighteously? He "loves judgment, and forsakes not His Saints." But (think) how the "life" of the Saints is "hid with Him," in such a manner, that who now suffer trouble on earth, like trees in the winter-time, having no fruit and leaves, when He, like a newly-risen sun, shall have appeared, that which before was living in their root, will show itself forth in fruits. He does then "love judgment, and does not forsake His Saints."...
You observe here that what destroys a person itself perishes and only those things last which cause him to remain in the kingdom of God.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 37:28 stands as a profound declaration of God's unchanging character, asserting His inherent delight in justice and His unwavering faithfulness to His devoted followers. It sharply contrasts the enduring preservation and eternal security of the righteous with the certain, ultimate demise and lack of lasting legacy for the wicked. This verse provides a theological bedrock for the psalm's overarching message: to trust in the Lord and not fret over the temporary prosperity of evildoers, for God's perfect justice will ultimately prevail, ensuring distinct and eternal outcomes for those who align with Him and those who oppose Him.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Psalms 37:28 is Antithetical Parallelism. The verse is structured to present a clear contrast between two opposing ideas or groups: the righteous (God's saints) and the wicked. The first half of the verse ("For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever") describes God's character and the positive, enduring outcome for His faithful ones. The second half ("but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off") presents a direct and opposing consequence for the ungodly, highlighting their ultimate termination. This stark contrast emphasizes the definitive and differing destinies determined by one's relationship with God. Additionally, Metaphor is used with "seed" representing posterity or legacy, and "cut off" serving as a vivid metaphor for complete termination or destruction of that legacy. The phrase "the LORD loveth judgment" also employs Personification, attributing a human emotion (love) to an abstract concept (judgment) to emphasize God's deep, intrinsic commitment to righteousness.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 37:28 is a profound theological statement that undergirds the entire biblical narrative of God's interaction with humanity. It affirms God's absolute sovereignty and His moral governance over the universe. His "love for judgment" means that His very being is righteousness, and therefore, His actions are always perfectly just and true. This divine attribute guarantees that chaos will not have the final word, and that ultimate equity will be established. Furthermore, the verse highlights the unbreakable nature of God's covenant faithfulness to His people, a theme that runs from Abraham to the New Covenant. The contrasting destinies of the righteous and the wicked point to a foundational biblical truth: there are two paths in life, and each leads to a distinct and ultimate outcome, reflecting God's perfect justice and His unwavering commitment to His kingdom.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This powerful verse offers immense comfort and a clear call to action for believers. In a world where injustice often seems to triumph and the wicked appear to flourish, Psalms 37:28 reminds us that God's character is the ultimate arbiter of truth and destiny. We are called not to fret or envy, but to anchor our hope and trust in the Lord, knowing that His love for judgment ensures that righteousness will ultimately prevail. Our security is not in our circumstances or earthly achievements, but in God's unwavering faithfulness to His "saints." This truth should empower us to live lives of integrity, perseverance, and active goodness, confident that our labor in the Lord is never in vain and that our spiritual inheritance and divine preservation are eternally secure in His hands. It encourages us to align our lives with God's righteous standards, knowing that His justice is both punitive for the wicked and redemptive and preserving for His own, ultimately leading to a life of lasting significance and eternal joy.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "the LORD loveth judgment" truly imply about God's nature?
Answer: It implies that justice, righteousness, and moral order are not merely external rules God imposes, but intrinsic aspects of His very character. God's love for judgment means He delights in what is right, fair, and equitable. His actions are always perfectly aligned with His holy standards, making Him the ultimate and trustworthy arbiter of all things. It assures us that His governance of the universe is founded on perfect integrity and truth, as seen in the declaration that God is the Rock, His work is perfect, and all His ways are just.
How are God's "saints" preserved forever, especially in light of physical death?
Answer: The "preservation for ever" of God's saints refers to a multi-faceted and enduring security that transcends physical mortality. It encompasses their spiritual preservation, their eternal security in Christ, and a lasting legacy in God's kingdom. While believers experience physical death, their souls are eternally secure with God, and their ultimate resurrection is guaranteed. This promise points to a spiritual inheritance and a future hope that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for them, as described in 1 Peter 1:4. It is a preservation of their identity, their relationship with God, and their ultimate destiny.
What does it mean for "the seed of the wicked shall be cut off"?
Answer: This phrase signifies the complete and definitive termination of the wicked's influence, legacy, and posterity in a meaningful sense. It implies that their earthly success and apparent prosperity are temporary and will not lead to a lasting heritage or a positive remembrance. While they may have physical descendants, their "seed" in terms of their impact, their name, and their influence will be brought to nothing in the long run, signifying divine judgment and the ultimate futility of a life lived in opposition to God's righteous ways. This stands in stark contrast to the enduring legacy of the righteous, as highlighted in Proverbs 10:7. It speaks to the ultimate consequence of rejecting God's ways: a lack of eternal significance and a final end to their rebellion.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 37:28 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the perfect embodiment of God's "love for judgment," for in Him, God's righteousness is fully revealed and perfectly satisfied. On the cross, Jesus bore the judgment for humanity's sin, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to justice while simultaneously providing a means for mercy and salvation, as He was presented as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate God's righteousness. Through faith in Him, believers are declared righteous and become God's "saints" (holy ones), chosen and preserved in Christ from before the foundation of the world. Their "preservation for ever" is guaranteed by His resurrection, which conquered death and secured eternal life for all who believe, for whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Conversely, Jesus' triumph over sin and death ensures that the "seed of the wicked"—representing all who reject God's gracious offer in Christ and persist in rebellion—will ultimately be "cut off" in the final judgment, their power and influence completely nullified by the King of kings and Lord of lords, as they are cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. Thus, Christ is the means by which God's justice is perfectly upheld, His saints are eternally preserved, and all wickedness is definitively vanquished.