Psalms 37:9
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
American King James Version (AKJV)
For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
American Standard Version (ASV)
For evil-doers shall be cut off; But those that wait for Jehovah, they shall inherit the land.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
For the evil-doers will be cut off: but those who have faith in the Lord will have the earth for their heritage.
Webster's Revision
For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
World English Bible
For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the land.
English Revised Version (ERV)
For evil-doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the land.
Clarke's Psalms 37:9 Bible Commentary
They shall inherit the earth - The word ארץ arets, throughout this Psalm, should be translated land, not earth; for it is most probable that it refers to the land of Judea; and in this verse there is a promise of their return thither.
Barnes's Psalms 37:9 Bible Commentary
For evil-doers shall be cut off - See Psalm 37:2. This will be the termination of their course. They shall not ultimately prosper. God will order all things in equity, and though such men now seem to be prosperous, and to be the objects of the divine favor, yet all this is temporary. The day of retribution will certainly come, and they will be dealt with as they deserve. The reference here probably is to judgment in this life, or to the fact that God will, as a general law, show his disapprobation of the course of the wicked by judgments inflicted on them in this world. See Psalm 55:23, "Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days." Proverbs 10:27, "the years of the wicked shall be shortened." Compare Job 15:32. The idea here is that wicked men will be cut down before they reach the ordinary term of human life, or before they would be cut off if they were not wicked. Compare Psalm 37:35-36. This is not indeed universally true, but there are instances enough of this kind to establish it as a general rule. Intemperance, voluptuousness, the indulgence of violent passions, and the crimes proceeding therefrom, shorten the lives of multitudes who, but for these, might have lived long on the earth. As it is a general rule that virtue, piety, the fear of God, temperance, honesty, and the calmness of spirit which results from these, tend to lengthen out life, so it is certain that the opposites of these tend to abridge it. Neither virtue nor piety indeed make it absolutely certain that a man will live to be old; but vice and crime make it morally certain that he will not. At all events, it is true that the wicked are to live but a little while upon the earth; that they soon will, like other men, be cut down and removed; and therefore we should not fret and complain in regard to those who are so soon to pass away. Compare Psalm 73.
But those that wait upon the Lord - The pious; they who fear God and serve him.
They shall inherit the earth - Compare the notes at Psalm 37:3. See also Psalm 37:11, Psalm 37:22, Psalm 37:25.
Wesley's Psalms 37:9 Bible Commentary
37:9 The earth - This for the most part was literally fulfilled in that state of the church.