What is the meaning of Psalm 37:32? Though the wicked • The verse opens with an honest acknowledgment: evil people really do exist and actively oppose God’s people. Scripture never downplays this reality—see Psalm 10:2, “In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise.” • “Though” signals contrast. Yes, the wicked act, but their actions never overturn God’s sovereignty (compare Psalm 37:13, “the Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming”). • Even when evil seems to dominate the headlines, remember Proverbs 29:27: “An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.” Hostility is the expected response of darkness toward light. lie in wait for the righteous • The phrase paints a picture of stealth and premeditation. The opposition believers face is not always open; it can be an ambush. Psalm 10:8 echoes this: “He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent.” • Biblical history illustrates this pattern: – Saul’s covert attempts on David’s life (1 Samuel 19:1–2). – The conspirators who pledged to kill Paul (Acts 23:12–14). • Practical takeaways: – Expect subtle forms of pressure—social exclusion, false accusations, underhanded plots. – Vigilance is not fear but realistic awareness, modeled by Nehemiah, who prayed and posted a guard (Nehemiah 4:9). and seek to slay them • The hostility escalates from surveillance to lethal intent. Proverbs 1:11 describes the same heart: “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood.” • This hatred ultimately targets Christ Himself; Jesus told His disciples, John 15:20, “If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well.” • Examples span Scripture: – Cain and Abel (1 John 3:12). – Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 7:59). – Believers in every age who “did not love their lives so as to shy away from death” (Revelation 12:11). • God does not promise the righteous will never face mortal danger, but He does promise their ultimate vindication (Matthew 10:28; Psalm 37:40). summary Psalm 37:32 honestly portrays the aggressive opposition the righteous encounter: wicked people exist, they plot in secret, and their endgame can be murder. Yet every clause hints at a larger theme of the psalm—God sees, God judges, and God delivers. Knowing this, believers remain realistic about evil, watchful against its schemes, and confident that the Lord, not the wicked, has the final word. |
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