psalm-37:1-15-asv

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 37:14

Verse 14 14.The wicked draw their sword, and bend their bow. David now goes on to say, that the ungodly, being armed with sword and bow, threaten with death the children of God; and this he does in order to meet the temptation which would otherwise overwhelm them. The promises of God do not have place in a time of quietness and peace, but in the midst of severe and terrible conflicts. And, therefore, David now teaches us that the righteous are not deprived of that peace of which he had spoken a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 37:15

Verse 15 In the 15th verse, David is not speaking of the laughter of God, but is denouncing vengeance against the ungodly, just as we have already seen in the second psalm, at the fourth verse, that although God, by conniving at the wicked, has often suffered them for a time to run to every excess in mirth and rioting, yet he at length speaks to them in his anger to overthrow them. The amount of what is stated is, that the ungodly should prevail so little, that the sword which they had drawn... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1

Fret not thyself because of evildoers . According to Aristotle, we have a special emotion implanted in our nature— νέμεσις —which causes us to "fret" when we witness undeserved prosperity ('Rhet.,' 2.9, § 1). Certainly the feeling is very common and very strong; it is also characteristic of the best natures (see Psalms 73:3-14 ; Job 21:7-15 ; Jeremiah 12:1 , Jeremiah 12:2 ; Malachi 3:15 ). The feeling does not need to be eradicated, but only to be held in check. Faith in God's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1-6

Doubts raised by the Divine providence, and how to meet them. The difficulty which perplexes the mind of the psalmist here is—How does God judge the wicked, if he allows them to prosper; and how reward the righteous, if they suffer adversity? The answers given are not a consecutive argument. The whole psalm is more like a string of pearls held together only by the string. The thoughts have no joints or links to unite them. The leading thought, repeated in various ways, is not to envy the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1-40

The psalm is wholly didactic. It begins with exhortation, which is carried on through five stanzas to the end of Psalms 37:9 . Exhortation then gives place to calm and unimpassioned instruction, of a character resembling that which makes up the bulk of the Book of Proverbs. This tone continues to the end of verse 33, when there is a return to exhortation, but exhortation (verses 34, 37) mingled with instruction (verses 35, 36, 38-40). The whole poem is grave, quiet, equable, devoid of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1-40

The good man's directory. This is a very remarkable psalm. Its theme is one throughout its entire length. Yet it is not so much drawn out consecutively as repeated proverbially. This may be partly accounted for by its alphabetical structure. £ There is no advance between the verses at the commencement and those at its close, but rather a remarkable variety of beautiful turns of expression to a thought that is the same throughout. The whole psalm may be summed up thus: "Just now, you see... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1-40

Two pictures. The psalmist says, at Psalms 37:25 , "I have been young, and now am old . " We may regard him therefore as speaking in this psalm with the fulness of knowledge and the confidence of ripened wisdom. His old experience has attained to prophetic strain. Let us consider two pictures. I. THE EVILS OF ENVY . It is common. It takes its rise and works upon the lower part of our nature, blinding our minds, perverting our hearts, and stirring up all our evil passions.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:2

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass . So Zophar, in the Book of Job ( Job 20:5 ), "The triumphing of the wicked is short , and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment." And, no doubt, if we compare time with eternity, the longest triumph that the wicked ever enjoy is but for a brief space, is soon gone, endures "but for a moment." It has a continuance, however, which to men in this life seems long, often intolerably long; and hence the disturbance which men's minds suffer... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:3

Trust in the Lord, and do good. Notwithstanding any difficulty which the prosperity of the wicked causes thee, trust thou still in the Lord; be sure that his providence watches over thee, and endeavour still to serve him by "doing good." So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed ; rather, dwell in the land , and feed on faithfulness (Kay); i.e. remain where thou art, and be satisfied with the thought of God's faithfulness. Feed on this. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:4

Delight thyself also in the Lord. Draw from communion with God all that inward intensity of joy which it is capable of giving. And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. God will then grant thee all thy desires, and make thee perfectly happy. read more

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 37:14

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 37:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1-40

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1-40

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:1-40

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 37:4

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