Psalm 37:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.

NIV: but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.

NASB: Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I searched for him, but he could not be found.

CSB: Then I passed by and noticed he was gone; I searched for him, but he could not be found.

NLT: But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!

KJV: Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

NKJV: Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

Although the wicked, ruthless person may succeed for a while, the Lord will judge him. He will not survive indefinitely. In the prior verse, David noted how the wicked and ruthless can seem like firmly rooted trees. He might have been thinking of his encounters with the rich Nabal (1 Samuel 25), the warrior giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:45–51), or the jealous King Saul (1 Samuel 23:14). Or David may have been making a general statement. In any case, here David notes that those who are ungodly eventually fall. David looked for the "wicked, ruthless man" (Psalm 37:35), but couldn't find him.

Herod, who persecuted believers in the early church, was a powerful, ruthless man, but the Lord judged him dramatically in an instant. Herod had executed James, and he intended to execute Peter, but the Lord rescued Peter from prison. Later, on an appointed day in Caesarea, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on a throne, and delivered a speech. When his audience shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of a man" (Acts 12:22), "an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last" (Acts 12:23).

The wicked will not execute ruthless power forever. Many will suffer the natural consequences of their sin (Proverbs 14:32). Ultimately, all those who reject God will suffer the eternal consequences of their cruelty (Revelation 20:11–15).

Psalm 37:32–40 describes the actions of the wicked and the judgment they face at the hands of the Lord. It also relates what the righteous person ought to do and what the Lord will do for him. The wicked have a dreadful future, whereas the future of the righteous is one of exaltation, peace, and deliverance.

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.