Connect Psalm 37:22 with Matthew 5:5 on inheriting the earth. Setting the Scene Psalm 37 was written in a world of visible injustice. Matthew 5 is delivered by Jesus to disciples longing for the kingdom. Both passages echo one divine assurance: God’s own people will receive the earth itself as their inheritance. Two Voices, One Promise • Psalm 37:22: “Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, but the cursed will be destroyed.” • Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Though separated by a millennium, the language is unmistakably parallel―“blessed,” “inherit,” and “land/earth.” Jesus does not invent a new promise; He reaffirms the ancient one and applies it to His followers. Defining “Inherit” and “Earth/Land” • “Inherit” (Hebrew nāḥal; Greek klēronomeō) means to receive a permanent possession guaranteed by a legal right. • “Land/Earth” (Hebrew ʾereṣ; Greek gē) can denote Israel’s soil, but also the whole terrestrial globe (Genesis 1:1; Romans 4:13). The scope broadens from Canaan to “all the earth” as God unfolds His plan (Psalm 2:8; Revelation 11:15). Character Qualities of the Heirs Psalm 37 lists traits mirrored in Jesus’ Beatitude. • The Blessed: righteous (v. 29), meek/humble (v. 11), peacemakers (v. 37), trusting (v. 3), delighting in the LORD (v. 4). • The Cursed: evildoers (v. 9), oppressors (v. 14), scoffers (v. 13), the greedy (v. 21). Jesus sums up the Psalm’s righteous profile in one word: “meek” (praus)—gentle strength under God’s control. God’s Covenant Thread • Genesis 12:7—land promised to Abraham’s seed. • Psalm 37—promise reaffirmed to the faithful in David’s day. • Matthew 5—Jesus extends the same inheritance to every meek disciple, Jew or Gentile (Galatians 3:29). • Revelation 21:1-7—final fulfillment in the new heavens and new earth where “the one who overcomes will inherit all things.” Already and Not Yet • Present Foretaste—God plants His people in places of influence, provision, and stewardship even now (Proverbs 2:21; Colossians 3:23-24). • Future Fullness—when Christ returns, the kingdoms of this world become His and ours (Daniel 7:27; Revelation 5:10). The inheritance is literal and global, not merely spiritual. Living Out the Promise Today • Cultivate meekness: willingly submit personal rights to God’s greater purpose (Philippians 2:5-8). • Rest from envy: Psalm 37:1 commands freedom from fretting because the wicked’s seeming advantage is temporary. • Steward creation: treat land, resources, and relationships as down payments on the coming inheritance (Genesis 2:15; 1 Peter 4:10). • Stand firm in hope: persecution or loss cannot nullify a deed written in heaven (1 Peter 1:4-5). Key Takeaways • Inheriting the earth is a literal, covenantal guarantee secured by God’s blessing. • Psalm 37:22 and Matthew 5:5 agree that the humble faithful, not the assertive wicked, receive that guarantee. • The promise stretches from Canaan through the present age into the new earth, anchoring believers’ confidence and guiding daily conduct. |
    |