The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 37:1

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Fret not thyself because of evildoers. According to Aristotle, we have a special emotion implanted in our nature— νέμεσις—which causes us to "fret" when we witness undeserved prosperity ('Rhet.,' 2.9, § 1).

Certainly the feeling is very common and very strong; it is also characteristic of the best natures (see Psalms 73:3-14; Job 21:7-15; Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah 12:2; Malachi 3:15). The feeling does not need to be eradicated, but only to be held in check.

Faith in God's retributive justice will enable us calmly to await "the end" (Psalms 73:17), in full assurance that ultimately God's vengeance will overtake the wicked man, and he will receive condign punishment.

Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. Envy is not a natural passion. To envy the evil-doers on account of their prosperity is at once a folly and a danger. Their position is really not enviable; and, if we allow ourselves to envy them, we shall be tempted to follow their example (see Proverbs 24:1).

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commentaryMatthew Henry on Psalms 37:1-6When we look abroad we see the world full of evil-doers, that flourish and live in ease. So it was seen of old, therefore let us not marvel at the matter. We are tempted to fret at this, to think them the only happy peo…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 37:1-40Two pictures. The psalmist says, at Psalms 37:25, "I have been young, and now am old." We may regard him therefore as speaking in this psalm with the fulness of knowledge and the confidence of ripened wisdom. His old ex…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 37:1-40EXPOSITION THIS is another of the alphabetical psalms (see above, Psalms 9:1-20; Psalms 25:1-22; and 34.), and, though more free from irregularities than the previous ones, is not altogether without them. While, general…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 37:1-6Doubts raised by the Divine providence, and how to meet them. The difficulty which perplexes the mind of the psalmist here is—How does God judge the wicked, if he allows them to prosper; and how reward the righteous, if…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 37:1-40The good man's directory. This is a very remarkable psalm. Its theme is one throughout its entire length. Yet it is not so much drawn out consecutively as repeated proverbially. This may be partly accounted for by its a…Joseph S. Exell and contributors