What does Psalm 37:7 mean?
In this verse, David again uses the term from verse 1, translated as "fret" (Psalm 37:1). In Hebrew, this term literally means something being ignited or heated. In English, a common expression for being angered is to "get hot under the collar," or to be "steaming mad." Echoing the beginning of the psalm, David tells his audience not to be agitated over the earthly prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 37:10).The believer's duty is to wait patiently for the Lord (Psalm 40:1; 130:5). Waiting on the Lord suggests a calm surrender to His will. In Psalm 62:5 David wrote: "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him." Often, faithful followers of God are frustrated as they suffer while the ungodly seem to flourish (Jeremiah 12:1; Psalm 73:3). It can be hard to remember that those who defy God will suffer ultimate loss (2 Peter 2:2–3; Jude 1:14–15).
In those times, as in all other times, we need to take time to be silent before God and trust Him to speak to our heart (Psalm 46:10). When we are quiet before Him, He often brings to mind Scripture which is just what we need to calm our mind and comfort our heart (2 Peter 3:2–7; John 14:26). Patience, like silence, requires discipline, but when we are patient, we begin to see that God is at work in our life.