Psalms 37:1

Fret not thyself because of evildoers,.... The saints may be grieved at them and for them, because of their evil doings, and may be angry with them for them; yet are not to show any undue warmth, at

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

Psalms 37 THE The design of this Psalm is to defend the providence of God, and to satisfy the minds of men in that great question, concerning the seeming inequality of God’ s dispensations, in afflicting good men, and giving prosperity to the worst of men; and to instruct God’ s people how to demean themselves in their present condition, and what supports and comforts they have in it. The psalmist persuadeth to patience and confidence in God, ; and showeth the different state of the godly and wicked in all their dealings, . Fret not thyself, give not way to immoderate grief, or anger, or impatience, because of evil-doers; because they prosper in their wicked enterprises, whilst thou art sorely afflicted. Neither be thou envious, esteeming them happy, and secretly wishing that thou wert in their condition.

Psalms 37:1 « [A Psalm] of David. » Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.Ver. 1. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers] Who prosper in the world when better men suffer many times. This made good David sick of the fret, as himself testifieth, Psalms 73:14-16, till better informed and settled, by repairing to the sanctuary, Psalms 73:17. He wrote this thirty-seventh psalm for the good of God’ s people; lest they, being scandalized in like manner, and stumbling at the same stone that he had done, should want direction, and so fall into inconvenience, temptation, and a snare. David was old when he wrote this psalm, as appeareth, Psalms 37:25, "I have been young, and now am old," therefore should his counsel here given be the more acceptable. He might as well say to men’ s tumultuatiug passions, as once Augustus did to his mutinous soldiers, and thereby quieted them, Audite senem iuveues, quem iuvenem senes audierunt, Hear old men you youth, rather than old men hear the youth. Fret not yourselves, fret not yourselves, I say, to do evil. Be not angry at God, as Jonah was; or aggrieved, as Jeremiah, Jeremiah 12:1; and Habakkuk, Habakkuk 1:13; as if the Divine providence did not justly divide to every man his due estate, and do him right; but have patience a while, yea, let patience have line and rope, her perfect work, as St James hath it; and quiet your boiling spirits with that word, wherewith Christ becalmed the raging sea, "Peace; be still." God will unriddle his providences ere long; and then men shall see the reason of all occurrences, and that all was done in singular wisdom. Pompey, beaten out of the field by Caesar, complained that there was a mist over the eye of providence; when as indeed all the fault was in the soreness or dimness of his own eyes, and the twinkling light of Nature’ s rush candle. Seneca saw as far and said as much to this matter as a heathen could, in his tract, Cur malis bene sit, &c. Whu is it well for the wicked, But it is the sanctuary alone that can afford sound satisfaction to a soul thus puzzled; as for philosophical comforts and counsels in this case, Cicero said well of them, Nescio quomodo imbecillior est medicina quam morbus, However it cometh to pass, the disease is too hard for the medicine. Neither be thou envious against, &c.] Their prosperity is their portion, all they are likely to have, Psalms 17:14; and what is it more than a small annuity for term of life, in the utmost part of that large lordship, whereof thou art the heir, and shalt shortly be the possessor? Queen Elizabeth envied the milkmaid, when she was in prison. But if she had known what a glorious reign she should have had afterwards for forty-four years she would not have envied her.

(1) Fret . . .—This verb, repeated in Psalms 37:7-8, is found besides only in Proverbs 24:19. Its meaning is to heat or inflame oneself.Neither be thou envious . . .—This has a similar root-meaning (comp. our “burn with jealousy”), and so is in close parallelism with “fret.” This verse occurs almost word for word in Proverbs 3:31; Proverbs 23:16; Proverbs 24:1. and Psalms 73:3.

PSALM XXXVII Godly directions for those who are in adversity not to envy the prosperity of the wicked, because it is superficial, and of short duration, 1-22; to put their confidence in God, and live to his glory, as this is the sure way to be happy in this life, and in that which is to come, 23-40. NOTES ON PSALM XXXVII In the title this Psalm is attributed to David by the Hebrew, and by most of the Versions: but it is more likely it was intended as an instructive and consoling ode for the captives in Babylon, who might feel themselves severely tempted when they saw those idolaters in prosperity; and themselves, who worshipped the true God, in affliction and slavery. They are comforted with the prospect of speedy deliverance; and their return to their own land is predicted in not less than ten different places in this Psalm. This Psalm is one of the acrostic or alphabetical kind: but it differs from those we have already seen, in having two verses under each letter; the first only exhibiting the alphabetical letter consecutively. There are a few anomalies in the Psalm. The hemistich, which should begin with the letter ע ain, has now a ל lamed prefixed to the word with which it begins, לעולם leolam; and the hemistich which should begin with ת tau (Psalms 37:39) has now a ו vau prefixed, ותשועת utheshuath. It appears also that the letters ד daleth, כ caph, and ק koph, have each lost a hemistich; and ע ain, half a one. The manner in which this Psalm is printed in Dr. Kennicott's Hebrew Bible gives a full view of all these particulars. To the English reader some slighter differences may appear; but it should be observed, that the verses in our English Bibles are not always divided as those in the Hebrew. In all the Psalms that have a title, the title forms the first verse in the Hebrew; but our translation does not acknowledge any of those titles as a part of the Psalm, and very properly leaves them out of the enumeration of the verses. Verse 1. Fret not thyself because of evil doers] It is as foolish as it is wicked to repine or be envious at the prosperity of others. Whether they are godly or ungodly, it is God who is the dispenser of the bounty they enjoy; and, most assuredly, he has a right to do what he will with his own. To be envious in such a case, is to arraign the providence of God. And it is no small condescension in the Almighty to reason with such persons as he does in this Psalm.

1–11. Warnings and counsels for times of temptation.

Fret not thyself - The Hebrew word here means properly to burn, to be kindled, to be inflamed, and is often applied to anger, as if under its influence we become “heated:” Genesis 31:36; Genesis

1. Fret not—The verb literally denotes to excite one’s self to displeasure through envy, jealousy, or zeal, but generally through anger. So Psalms 37:7-8. See Proverbs 24:19; and compare Psalms 73:3; Proverbs 23:17.