Psalms 37:6
in Psalms 37He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he will make thy righteousness to go forth as the light, And thy justice as the noonday.
KJV
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
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This verse in Psalms 37
Commentary
17 notes on this verse(Vers. 5, 6.) Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in Him, and He will act. And He will bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your justice like the noonday. This single verse declares what kind of person you should be. For who reveals their way, except those who confess to God, the arbiter of their hidden secrets within their heart? Reveal, blessed one, this is, open your conscience, so that it may not be burdened by the shadow or flesh of this world.
This site's exposition
Trust in the LORD
on Psalms 37:3-6
Trust is joined to doing good and dwelling in the land. The Hebrew verb behind commit your way is the word for roll, a burden rolled onto one able to carry it. The man who delights in the LORD is given the desires of his heart.
This site's exposition
your justice like the noonday sun
Albert Barnes and Matthew Henry read the verse as God clearing a slandered name. Augustine saw a rise from dawn to full noon, the light of sunrise growing to its full clearness. Guard the conscience, Henry wrote, and God guards the name.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light" (ver. 6). For now, "thy righteousness" is hid. Now it is a thing of faith; not yet of sight. You believe something that you may do it. You do not yet see that in which you believe. But when thou shall begin to see that, which thou didst believe before, "thy righteousness will be brought forth to the light," because it is thy faith that was thy righteousness. For "the just lives by faith." "And He shall bring forth thy judgment as the noon-day." That is to say, "as the clear light." It was too little to say, "as the light." For we call it "light" already, even when it but dawns: we call it light even while the sun is rising. But never is the light brighter than at mid-day. Therefore He will not only "bring forth thy righteousness as the light," but "thy judgment shall be as the noon-day." For now dost thou make thy "judgment" to follow Christ. This is thy purposé: this is thy choice: this is thy "judgment."...
"Behold" (you say), "I do long after it, I do ask for it, I do desire it. Shall I then accomplish it?" No. Who shall then? "Reveal thy way unto the Lord: trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" (ver. 5). Mention to Him what thou sufferest, mention to Him what thou dost desire. For what is it that thou sufferest? "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." What is it then that thou dost desire? "Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" And because it is He "Himself" that "will bring it to pass," when thou shall have "revealed thy ways unto Him;" hear what follows: "The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." What is it then that He is to bring to pass, since it is said, "Reveal thy way unto Him, and He will bring it to pass"? What will He bring to pass? "And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light" (ver. 6). For now, "thy righteousness" is hid. Now it is a thing of faith; not yet of sight. You believe something that you may do it. You do not yet see that in which you believe. But when thou shall begin to see that, which thou didst believe before, "thy righteousness will be brought forth to the light," because it is thy faith that was thy righteousness. For "the just lives by faith." "And He shall bring forth thy judgment as the noon-day." That is to say, "as the clear light." It was too little to say, "as the light." For we call it "light" already, even when it but dawns: we call it light even while the sun is rising. But never is the light brighter than at mid-day. Therefore He will not only "bring forth thy righteousness as the light," but "thy judgment shall be as the noon-day." For now dost thou make thy "judgment" to follow Christ. This is thy purposé: this is thy choice: this is thy "judgment."...
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanCommentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms · Written before 397.
proposed
God brings [justice] out into the light. He does not permit judgment to lie hidden. He reveals the good that you have chosen to do and the evil that you have refused to do. Not only does he make your judgment shine, but also he makes it shine like the sun at midday.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"And." Where first he promises glory; second, he shows how one arrives at it, at "Be subject to the Lord." Regarding the first he does two things. First, he promises the glory that one obtains. Second, he shows the manner of obtaining it, at "And …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Secondly, It is promised that God will, in due time, roll away the reproach they are under, clear up their innocency, and bring forth their righteousness, to their honour, perhaps in this world, at furthest in the great day, Matt. xiii. Note, If we take care to keep a good conscience, we may leave it to God to take care of our good name. Exhortations and Promises.
9 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. The instructions here given are very plain; much need not be said for the exposition of them, but there is a great deal to be done for the reducing of them to practice, and there they will look best. We are here cautioned against discontent at the prosperity and success of evil-doers (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Retreat thy way unto the Lord (so the LXX.), that is, "By prayer spread thy case, and all thy cares about it, before the Lord" (as Jephthah uttered all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh, Judg. xi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
, 10, 20, 35, 36, 38 ) and the salvation and protection which the righteous are sure of from all the malicious designs of the wicked,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light. In the matter of personal reputation we may especially be content to be quiet, and leave our vindication with the Judge of all the earth. The more we fret in this case the worse for us. Our strength is to sit still. The Lord will clear the slandered. If we look to his honour, he will see to ours. It is wonderful how, when faith learns to endure calumny with composure, the filth does not defile her, but falls off like snowballs from a wall of granite.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light. In the matter of personal reputation we may especially be content to be quiet, and leave our vindication with the Judge of all the earth. The more we fret in this case the worse for us. Our strength is to sit still. The Lord will clear the slandered. If we look to his honour, he will see to ours. It is wonderful how, when faith learns to endure calumny with composure, the filth does not defile her, but falls off like snowballs from a wall of granite. Even in the worst cases, where a good name is for awhile darkened, Providence will send a clearing like the dawning light, which shall increase until the man once censured shall be universally admired. And thy judgment as the noonday. No shade of reproach shall remain. The man shall be in his meridian of splendour. The darkness of his sorrow and his ill repute shall both flee away.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light. In the matter of personal reputation we may especially be content to be quiet, and leave our vindication with the Judge of all the earth. The more we fret in this case the worse for us. Our strength is to sit still. The Lord will clear the slandered. If we look to his honour, he will see to ours. It is wonderful how, when faith learns to endure calumny with composure, the filth does not defile her, but falls off like snowballs from a wall of granite.
Thy righteousness as the light - As God said in the beginning, “Let there be light, and there was light;” so he shall say, Let thy innocence appear, and it will appear as suddenly and as evident as the light was at the beginning.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light - That is, if you are slandered; if your character is assailed, and seems for the thee to be under a cloud; if reproach comes upon you from the devices of wicked people in such a way that you cannot meet it - then, if you will commit the case to God, he will protect your character, and will cause the clouds to disperse, and all to be as clear in reference to your character and the motives of your conduct as the sun without a cloud. There are numerous cases in which a man cannot meet the assaults made on his reputation, in which he cannot trace to its source a slanderous accusation, in which he cannot immediately explain the circumstances which may have served to give the slanderous report an appearance of probability, but in which he may be perfectly conscious of innocence; and, in such cases, the only resource is to commit the whole matter to God. And there is nothing that may be more safely left with him; nothing that God will more certainly protect than the injured reputation of a good man. Under his administration things will ultimately work themselves right, and a man will have all the reputation which he deserves to have. But he who spends his life in the mere work of defending himself, will soon have a reputation that is not much worth defending. The true way for a man is to do his duty - to do right always - and then commit the whole to God. And thy judgment - Thy just sentence. That is, God will cause justice to be done to your character. As the noon-day - The original word here is in the dual form, and means properly “double-light;” that is, the strongest, brightest light. It means “noon,” because the light is then most clear and bright. The idea is, that he will make your character perfectly clear and bright. No cloud will remain on it.
The words behind it
5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהוֹצִ֣יא | vehotzi' | and he will bring forth | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| כָא֣וֹר | khaor | like the light | H216 → | 121 times |
| צִדְקֶ֑ךָ | tzidkecha | righteousness your | H6664 → | 119 times |
| וּ֝מִשְׁפָּטֶ֗ךָ | umishpatekha | and justice your | H4941 → | 422 times |
| כַּֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃ | katzohorayim | like the noontide<s> | H6672 → | 24 times |
וְהוֹצִ֣יאand he will bring forth
vehotzi'H3318 →1067 times
כָא֣וֹרlike the light
khaorH216 →121 times
צִדְקֶ֑ךָrighteousness your
tzidkechaH6664 →119 times
וּ֝מִשְׁפָּטֶ֗ךָand justice your
umishpatekhaH4941 →422 times
כַּֽצָּהֳרָֽיִם׃like the noontide<s>
katzohorayimH6672 →24 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 54:17No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the…
it leads to
- Romans 8:28–39
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Isaiah 54:15
If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever assails you will fall before you.
- John 10:28–30
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.
- Isaiah 50:8
The One who vindicates Me is near. Who will dare to contend with Me? Let us confront each other! Who has a case against Me? Let him approach Me!
- Romans 8:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 8:28–39
Through
Isaiah 58:8Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
it leads to
- Isaiah 52:12
For you will not leave in a hurry nor flee in haste, for the LORD goes before you, and the God of Israel is your rear guard.
- Jeremiah 33:6
Nevertheless, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal its people and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
- Jeremiah 30:17
But I will restore your health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD, because they call you an outcast, Zion, for whom no one cares.”
- Isaiah 52:12
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms

This page draws on 11 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; 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; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.
