Psalm 37:34

ESV Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
NIV Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
NASB Wait for the Lord and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are eliminated, you will see it.
CSB Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.
NLT Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.
KJV Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
NKJV Wait on the Lord, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

What does Psalm 37:34 mean?

When attacked by the wicked, the righteous can act in their own defense (Luke 22:36) or pursue proper justice (Romans 13:1–4). Those who honor God should not lash out in revenge (Romans 12:18–19) or angry haste (Ephesians 4:26).

Spiritual discipline is key to this. If a person relies on his own strength, he will fail to exercise restraint. Paul wrote that "the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). The way to achieve victory when the enemy attacks is to wait on the Lord to act and to keep His way (Psalm 37:34). Trust in the Lord and obedience to His commands are powerful weapons. If we trust and obey, the righteous will be exalted by the Lord and will dwell in the Promised Land.

Further, the righteous will be spectators when the Lord cuts off the wicked (Revelation 20:11–15). He will excommunicate them from membership in Israel and remove them from all the privileges associated with belonging to Israel. Someday, Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats, the righteous from the wicked. He will admit the righteous into His kingdom, but He will send the wicked into eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:31–46).
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