Psalms 37:28
in Psalms 37For the LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For Jehovah loveth justice, And forsaketh not his saints; They are preserved for ever: But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
KJV
For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
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This verse in Psalms 37
Commentary
17 notes on this verseFor the Lord loves justice, and will not forsake his saints: they will be preserved forever. But the wicked will be punished, and the seed of the wicked will perish. The righteous will inherit the land, and dwell forever upon it. Do not think that your sins go unnoticed by God; for many fall in this way. He himself sees and condemns all things, and exterminates the seed of the wicked; indeed, the seed is not of physical generation, but of internal mind and succession of impiety (Job 1:1).
This site's exposition
Turn away from evil
on Psalms 37:27-33
The command is to turn away from evil and do good, with abiding forever attached to it as the promise. The law of his God sits in his heart. The LORD loves justice and does not leave the righteous in the power of those who lie in wait for them.
This site's exposition
They are preserved forever
Adam Clarke read the Hebrew for saints as the merciful ones, the same people who give and lend in verse 26. Augustine likened suffering saints to trees in winter. Their life is hidden in the root until He appears, and then it shows in fruit.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His Saints." When the Saints suffer affliction, think not that God doth not judge, or doth not judge righteously. Will He, who warns thee to judge righteously, Himself judge unrighteously? He "loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His Saints." But (think) how the "life" of the Saints is "hid with Him," in such a manner, that who now suffer trouble on earth, like trees in the winter-time, having no fruit and leaves, when He, like a newly-risen sun, shall have appeared, that which before was living in their root, will show itself forth in fruits. He does then "love judgment, and doth not forsake His Saints."...
You observe here that what destroys a person itself perishes and only those things last which cause him to remain in the kingdom of God.
The Medieval Church2 voices
"Turn away from evil." Above, the Psalmist showed that the goods of the just are better with regard to fruit; here he breaks forth into an exhortation to pursue them. Regarding this he does two things. First, the exhortation is set forth. Second, the fruit …
"The unjust." Here the form of the judgment is set forth, which will be for the good and the wicked. First, therefore, he sets forth what will be given to the wicked in judgment. Second, what to the good, at "The just." Upon the wicked …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Those shall not be tossed that make God their rest and are at home in him. But on this earth there is no dwelling for ever, no continuing city; it is in heaven only, that city which has foundations, that the righteous shall dwell for ever; that will be their everlasting habitation.
9 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For the Lord loveth judgment,....
He will preserve them to his heavenly kingdom; that is a preservation for ever, 2 Tim. iv. That we shall have a comfortable settlement in this world, and in a better when we leave this.
The Nineteenth Century7 voices
Here we have the seventh precept, which takes a negative and positive form, and is the quintessence of the entire Psalm
For the Lord loveth judgment. The awarding of honour to whom honour is due is God's delight, especially when the upright man has been traduced by his fellow men. It must be a divine pleasure to right wrongs, and to defeat the machinations of the unjust. The great Arbiter of human destinies is sure to deal out righteous measure both to rich and poor, to good and evil, for such judgment is his delight. And forsaketh not his saints. This would not be right, and, therefore, shall never be done.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The exhortation is sustained by the assurance of God's essential rectitude in that providential government which provides perpetual blessings for the good, and perpetual misery for the wicked. The righteous described as to the elements of character, thought, word, and action.
For the Lord loveth judgment. The awarding of honour to whom honour is due is God's delight, especially when the upright man has been traduced by his fellow men. It must be a divine pleasure to right wrongs, and to defeat the machinations of the unjust. The great Arbiter of human destinies is sure to deal out righteous measure both to rich and poor, to good and evil, for such judgment is his delight. And forsaketh not his saints. This would not be right, and, therefore, shall never be done. God is as faithful to the objects of his love as he is just towards all mankind. They are preserved for ever. By covenant engagements their security is fixed, and by suretyship fulfilments that safety is accomplished; come what may, the saints are preserved in Christ Jesus, and because he lives, they shall live also. A king will not lose his jewels, nor will Jehovah lose his people. As the manna in the golden pot, which else had melted, was preserved in the ark of the covenant beneath the mercyseat, so shall the faithful be preserved in the covenant by the power of Jesus their propitiation. But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. Like the house of Jeroboam and Ahab, of which not a dog was left. Honour and wealth ill gotten seldom reach the third generation; the curse grows ripe before many years have passed, and falls upon the evil house. Among the legacies of wicked men the surest entail is a judgment on their family.
For the Lord loveth judgment. The awarding of honour to whom honour is due is God's delight, especially when the upright man has been traduced by his fellow men. It must be a divine pleasure to right wrongs, and to defeat the machinations of the unjust. The great Arbiter of human destinies is sure to deal out righteous measure both to rich and poor, to good and evil, for such judgment is his delight. And forsaketh not his saints. This would not be right, and, therefore, shall never be done.
Forsaketh not his saints - את חטידיו eth chasidaiv, his merciful or compassionate ones; those who, through love to him and all mankind, are ever ready to give of their substance to the poor. But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off - The children who follow the wicked steps of wicked parents shall, like their parents, be cut off. God’s judgments descend to posterity, as well as his mercies.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For the Lord loveth judgment - That is, God loves that which is right; he loves to do right. The idea is, that such a recompense as is here adverted to - that on the one hand, in rewarding with prosperity a pure and upright life - and that, on the other, in cutting off the wicked - is right and proper in itself; and that as God loves to do right, these consequences respectively may be expected to follow in regard to the righteous and the wicked. Compare Psa 11:7. And forsaketh not his saints - He manifests his sense of that which is right, by not forsaking His saints. They are preserved forever - They are ever under his paternal eye, and he will keep them. It will be literally true that they will be preserved “forever,” that they will never be suffered to perish. But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off - See the notes at Psa 21:10. Compare Psa 37:22.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יְהוָ֨ה׀ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֹ֘הֵ֤ב | ʾohev | [is] loving | H157 → | 211 times |
| מִשְׁפָּ֗ט | mishpat | justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יַעֲזֹ֣ב | yaazo | he will abandon | H5800 → | 215 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֲ֭סִידָיו | chasidav | faithful [people] his | H2623 → | 33 times |
| לְעוֹלָ֣ם | leolam | for ever | H5769 → | 438 times |
| נִשְׁמָ֑רוּ | nishmaru | they are preserved | H8104 → | 468 times |
| וְזֶ֖רַע | vezera' | and [the] offspring of | H2233 → | 229 times |
| רְשָׁעִ֣ים | reshaim | wicked [people] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| נִכְרָֽת׃ | nikhrat | it is cut off | H3772 → | 288 times |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יְהוָ֨ה׀Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֹ֘הֵ֤ב[is] loving
ʾohevH157 →211 times
מִשְׁפָּ֗טjustice
mishpatH4941 →422 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
יַעֲזֹ֣בhe will abandon
yaazoH5800 →215 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חֲ֭סִידָיוfaithful [people] his
chasidavH2623 →33 times
לְעוֹלָ֣םfor ever
leolamH5769 →438 times
נִשְׁמָ֑רוּthey are preserved
nishmaruH8104 →468 times
וְזֶ֖רַעand [the] offspring of
vezera'H2233 →229 times
רְשָׁעִ֣יםwicked [people]
reshaimH7563 →263 times
נִכְרָֽת׃it is cut off
nikhratH3772 →288 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 59:21“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 31:31–34
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
- Hebrews 10:16
“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
- Ezekiel 36:25–27
I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.
- Jeremiah 32:38–41
They will be My people, and I will be their God.
- Hebrews 8:6–13
Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.
- Jeremiah 31:31–34
Through
1 Peter 1:5who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
it leads to
- Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
- Philippians 1:6
Through
Psalms 11:7For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.
it leads to
- Revelation 22:4
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
- Revelation 22:4
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms

This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms; Augustine of Hippo, On the Psalms; Augustine of Hippo, ON THE PSALMS - Psalm 37; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 37:28; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.
