Psalm 37:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,

NIV: The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;

NASB: The wicked plots against the righteous, And gnashes at him with his teeth.

CSB: The wicked person schemes against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him.

NLT: The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.

KJV: The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

NKJV: The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth.

David's enemies hated him. They plotted to kill him (1 Samuel 23:24–25; 2 Samuel 17:1–4). Rather than self-pity or bitterness, David saw his experience as common to God's people. The wicked despise the righteous and would like to get rid of them (Psalm 31:13; 1 Peter 4:4). This verse is part of ongoing comfort for those faithful to God. Verses 12 and 13, like verses 14 and 15, form contrasting pairs where the actions of the wicked are turned against them.

Even Jesus was subject to this vile treatment. His foes, the chief priests and elders, wanted to get rid of Him. Matthew 26:3–4 reports that "the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him." Jesus was aware of this hatred, and warned His followers that they, too, would be hated. He said, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you…because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:18–19). He also told His followers, "You will be hated by all for my name's sake" (Matthew 10:22).

Psalm 37:12–20 continues David's discussion of the differences between the wicked and the righteous. Although the wicked seem to prosper and violently oppose the righteous, the righteous can trust the Lord to care for them. For those who honor God, whatever little they have is better than the abundance of wicked people. Believers have the Lord and will inherit good, eternal things. The wicked have nothing to look forward to in eternity other than condemnation.

In this psalm, David contrasts the way God protects and saves His people, contrasted with the ruin which awaits the wicked. Much of this seems to be based on David's own experiences (Psalm 37:25, 35). As with many other passages in Psalms and Proverbs, this passage encourages godly wisdom. Those who reject God and His ways can expect uncertainty on earth and disaster in eternity.

Psalm 37 lies in the first division of Psalms and addresses mankind. Its tone resembles that of the book of Proverbs. The psalm dispenses wisdom about the security of the righteous man and the insecurity and fate of the wicked man. Psalms 36 and 39 also describe the insecurity and fate of the wicked. The covenant God made with Israel in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27—30 is the basis for David's assurance that the righteous are secure. The issue of the prosperity of the wicked is also featured in Psalms 49 and 73. David most likely wrote Psalm 37 in his old age.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.