Psalms 37

A Psalm of David.

We have here another in the series of Acrostic Psalms, (see on Psalms 25:0,) more perfect in its structure, having twenty-two alphabetical divisions, if we begin the ayin division, (after Dr. Kennicott,) with the third line of Psalms 37:28, “Forever are they preserved,” (omitting lamed, ל , in the word לעולם , for ever,) and take ayin ( ע ) as the initial letter. The divisions would then consist of four lines each, except daleth, ( ד ,) Psalms 37:7, kaph, ( כ ,) Psalms 37:20, and koph, ( ק ,) Psalms 37:34, which would have three lines each, and tauv, ( ת ,) Psalms 37:39, five lines. The movement is regular and animated, though serious, the style proverbial, and the doctrines fundamental to the moral government. The theme is that of a divine, rewarding Providence, which in the final result will be sure to punish sin, protect and reward the righteous, and vindicate the holiness and justice of God. The design of the author is to check and reprove the impatience of complaint at the prosperity of the wicked, and incite to a patient waiting for the time of just retribution which God, in his order, will surely bring in. The didactic and proverbial form is less the style of David than of Asaph, or the sons of Korah in later times, and the complaint of the prevalence of evil doers, and of the sufferings and temptations of the Church from their rule, so similar to Psalms 36:0, sounds more like the times of the captivity, and could not apply to the age of David. The whole drift of the psalm bears strongly on the doctrines of a future state and a future judgment, and various particular passages directly assume them. The didactic form of the psalm admits only a trace of logical order. Psalms 37:1-8 are an exhortation to the righteous to patient trust in God and a right disposition towards the “evil doers.” Psalms 37:9-22 portray the brief triumph and certain overthrow of the wicked. Psalms 37:23-40 set forth the present and eternal reward of the righteous under the just administration of the divine government.