Psalm 37:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

NIV: The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.

NASB: The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice.

CSB: The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom; his tongue speaks what is just.

NLT: The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.

KJV: The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

NKJV: The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice.

David says the righteous speak wisdom and justice. Wisdom represents the ability to correctly apply godly knowledge. A righteous person knows when to speak his mind (Psalm 49:3)—and when to mind what they say (Proverbs 10:19). Wise people counsel others to do the right thing (Proverbs 8:12–16). This ability to transmit true wisdom is no accident: David will continue to explain how such knowledge comes from knowing God (Psalm 37:31; 1 Corinthians 2:14–16).

In the early church, some members had the gift of the utterance of wisdom. The apostle Paul writes that this gift along with the other spiritual gifts was given through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8). When the church was in its infancy, it did not yet have the completed New Testament as the authority for what the believers should believe and do. So, God graciously gifted some individuals with special wisdom to guide the church in these matters.

The apostle James placed a high value on wisdom as a controller of a person's actions. He wrote: "Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom" (James 3:13). He described wisdom as "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere" (James 3:17). James also noted the destructive power of an uncontrolled tongue (James 3:4–6). To produce true justice in one's words requires the kind of "right judgment" spoken of by Christ (John 7:24).

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.