19 They shall not be ashamed H954 in the evil H7451 time: H6256 and in the days H3117 of famine H7459 they shall be satisfied. H7646
To deliver H5337 their soul H5315 from death, H4194 and to keep them alive H2421 in famine. H7458
The LORD H3068 will not suffer H7456 the soul H5315 of the righteous H6662 to famish: H7456 but he casteth away H1920 the substance H1942 of the wicked. H7563
In famine H7458 he shall redeem H6299 thee from death: H4194 and in war H4421 from the power H3027 of the sword. H2719 Thou shalt be hid H2244 from the scourge H7752 of the tongue: H3956 neither shalt thou be afraid H3372 of destruction H7701 when it cometh. H935 At destruction H7701 and famine H3720 thou shalt laugh: H7832 neither shalt thou be afraid H3372 of the beasts H2416 of the earth. H776
For man H120 also knoweth H3045 not his time: H6256 as the fishes H1709 that are taken H270 in an evil H7451 net, H4685 and as the birds H6833 that are caught H270 in the snare; H6341 so H1992 are the sons H1121 of men H120 snared H3369 in an evil H7451 time, H6256 when it falleth H5307 suddenly H6597 upon them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 37
Commentary on Psalms 37 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 37
This psalm is a sermon, and an excellent useful sermon it is, calculated not (as most of the psalms) for our devotion, but for our conversation; there is nothing in it of prayer or praise, but it is all instruction; it is "Maschil-a teaching psalm;' it is an exposition of some of the hardest chapters in the book of Providence, the advancement of the wicked and the disgrace of the righteous, a solution of the difficulties that arise thereupon, and an exhortation to conduct ourselves as becomes us under such dark dispensations. The work of the prophets (and David was one) was to explain the law. Now the law of Moses had promised temporal blessings to the obedient, and denounced temporal miseries against the disobedient, which principally referred to the body of the people, the nation as a nation; for, when they came to be applied to particular persons, many instances occurred of sinners in prosperity and saints in adversity; to reconcile those instances with the word that God had spoken is the scope of the prophet in this psalm, in which,
In singing this psalm we must teach and admonish one another rightly to understand the providence of God and to accommodate ourselves to it, at all times carefully to do our duty and then patiently to leave the event with God and to believe that, how black soever things may look for the present, it shall be "well with those that fear God, that fear before him.'
A psalm of David.
Psa 37:1-6
The instructions here given are very plain; much need not be said for the exposition of them, but there is a great deal to be done for the reducing of them to practice, and there they will look best.
Psa 37:7-20
In these verses we have,
Psa 37:21-33
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,
Psa 37:34-40
The psalmist's conclusion of this sermon (for that is the nature of this poem) is of the same purport with the whole, and inculcates the same things.