But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
What does Psalms 37:20 mean?
Let us be satisfied that God will make all to work for good to us. Let us not discompose ourselves at what we see in this world.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside its immediate passage and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Psalms 37:20
But the wicked shall perish - The general sentiment here is the same as in Psalm 1:1-6 , that the righteous shall be prospered and saved, and that the wicked shall perish. See the notes at Psalm 1:4-5 . The word "perish" here would be applicable to any form of destruction - death here, or death hereafter - for it is equivalent to the idea that they shall be "destroyed." Whether the psalmist means here to refer to the fact that they will be cut off from the earth, or will be punished hereafter in the world of woe, cannot be determined from the word itself.
Key words
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word. Compare 2 Thessalonians 1:8 ; Matthew 25:46 .
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But the wicked shall perish,.
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But the wicked shall perish,.
Context in Psalms 37
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Psalms 37 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as Book II. Psalms is the Bible’s great book of sung prayer, teaching the full range of faithful speech from anguish and repentance to jubilation and doxology. Read this chapter with the wider themes of prayer, praise, and lament in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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