Psalm 37:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;

NIV: The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.

NASB: The Lord knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will be forever.

CSB: The Lord watches over the blameless all their days, and their inheritance will last forever.

NLT: Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.

KJV: The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

NKJV: The Lord knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.

We do not know what tomorrow or any of our future days may bring (James 4:14), but God knows how long we will live and what events will come our way. In His omniscience God knows everything that will happen to us, and as a loving God He will not allow anything to befall us that is not for our good and His glory. Romans 8:28–30 assures us that "for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

The term "blameless," here, does not mean "perfectly sinless." This is a term applied to people like Job (Job 1:1) who were committed to good conduct and faithfulness towards God. Use of this idea in the New Testament sometimes comes through the phrase "above reproach" (1 Timothy 3:2). A person whose life clearly demonstrates a submission to God's will would be considered "blameless."

Scripture also promises that the blameless have a heritage that lasts forever. This is in keeping with eternal salvation: those who put their faith in God will live with Him forever (John 6:47). Even if life is difficult, or persecution comes, those who honor God can look forward to heaven (John 16:33).

Righteous Jews believed God's promises about their future in the Promised Land. They eagerly looked forward to dwelling there. Today's believers, too, have a lasting heritage. The apostle Peter credits God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with giving us a living hope through Jesus' resurrection "to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading" (1 Peter 1:4). Furthermore, Peter describes our inheritance as being guarded in heaven for us. David had written that the little a believer has is far better than the abundance of the wicked (Psalm 37:16), but God has also stored up treasures for the righteous for a future time (Matthew 6:19–20).

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.

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.