Why should believers not envy wrongdoers according to Psalm 37:1? Literary Context within Psalm 37 Psalm 37 is an acrostic wisdom psalm written by David for the mature believer (“of David,” v. 1). It contrasts the apparent success of the wicked with the ultimate security of the righteous. Verses 1–11 lay the foundation: fret not, trust, delight, commit, be still, cease anger, and hope. The prohibition against envy is therefore the entry point to an entire theology of patient trust. Defining “Envy” and “Wrongdoers” Envy is the resentful desire for the prosperity, status, or possessions of another (cf. Exodus 20:17). Wrongdoers (Hebrew raʿa, “those who practice evil”) are individuals whose success is achieved in opposition to God’s moral order. Scripture forthrightly distinguishes material gain from genuine blessing (Proverbs 10:22). Reason 1: The Fleeting Nature of Their Prosperity “For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants” (v. 2). In Israel’s climate, spring grass flares green and is scorched within days. David’s botanical simile is an empirical observation anyone in the Judean hills could verify, and modern satellite imagery confirms the same seasonal transience. The lesson: temporal advantage is no basis for eternal comparison. Reason 2: The Certainty of Divine Justice “Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more” (v. 10). Old Testament eschatology does not allow moral deeds to evaporate unpunished. Yahweh’s courtroom is certain (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Archaeologically, the fall of empires that once oppressed Israel—Assyria, Babylon, Rome—is a concrete reminder that divine justice eventually topples all godless power structures. Reason 3: The Inheritance Reserved for the Righteous “But those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land” (v. 9). “Land” (ʾāreṣ) points to covenant privileges—first Canaan, ultimately the renewed earth (Matthew 5:5; Revelation 21:1). Envy forgets that believers already possess the title deed to an everlasting estate. Reason 4: Envy Corrodes the Soul Envy is listed among “the acts of the flesh” that “those who practice…will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21). Long-term clinical studies link chronic envy to heightened cortisol, depression, and cardiovascular risk. The psalm’s prohibition is simultaneously spiritual command and psychophysical safeguard. Reason 5: Envy Denies Trust in Yahweh’s Providence “Trust in the LORD and do good” (v. 3). Envy says God has misallocated resources; faith says He withholds no good thing (Psalm 84:11). Behavioral economics shows that gratitude fosters measurable increases in life satisfaction; Scripture anticipated the finding by millennia. Reason 6: The Command Against Coveting “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17). Psalm 37:1 is an application of the Tenth Commandment. The Decalogue is relational: envy fractures neighbor-love and dishonors the Giver. Reason 7: Wisdom Literature Echoes “Do not let your heart envy sinners” (Proverbs 23:17); “Do not fret over evildoers…for disaster will overtake them” (Proverbs 24:19-20). The theme is consistent across Israel’s sapiential corpus, underscoring a unified biblical ethic. Reason 8: Teaching of Christ and the Apostles Jesus: “Beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). Paul: “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). James: “Envy and selfish ambition…result in every evil practice” (James 3:16). Psalm 37:1 is amplified, not annulled, in the New Covenant. Reason 9: Historical and Scriptural Case Studies • Cain envied Abel and spiraled into homicide (Genesis 4). • Korah envied Moses, ending in judgment (Numbers 16). • Asaph temporarily envied the arrogant until he “entered the sanctuary of God” and perceived their end (Psalm 73). • Judas coveted money; his envy culminated in betrayal and suicide (Matthew 27:3-5). Each narrative validates Psalm 37’s warning. Reason 10: Eschatological Perspective Revelation 18 records the collapse of end-times “Babylon”—the global symbol of arrogant affluence. Believers who resist envy now are aligned with the destiny of the Lamb, not the doom of Babylon. Reason 11: Behavioral Science Corroboration Social-comparison studies (Festinger, modern replications) prove that upward envy reduces subjective well-being and productivity. Contentment practices raise neurotransmitters associated with joy (dopamine, serotonin). Psalm 37 codifies what empirical research confirms. Reason 12: Apologetic Confirmation of Scriptural Reliability Psalm 37 appears in Dead Sea Scroll fragment 4QPs E (c. 200 BC), virtually identical to the Masoretic Text, demonstrating preservation. The scroll’s stability refutes claims of textual corruption and supports the trustworthiness of the command not to envy. Manuscript fidelity reinforces moral authority. Summary Believers should not envy wrongdoers because their prosperity is temporary, God’s justice is inevitable, the righteous possess an eternal inheritance, envy poisons the soul, and trust in a faithful Creator renders comparison irrational. Scripture, experience, science, and history converge on the same verdict: “Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked” (Psalm 37:16). |
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