Psalms 37:10 · Bible study
Psalms 37:10 Commentary: The Wicked’s Prosperity Is Short-Lived
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does it mean that the wicked will be no more? Commentators disagree: annihilation or removal from earthly life? Scholarly analysis with pastoral hope.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The wicked will soon be removed from their place of prosperity and influence, though they still exist for eventual judgment.
- Key words: me‘at (a little while), raša‘ (wicked), maqom (place), ’ayin (nothing/gone).
- Main debate: Does “no more” mean annihilation or removal from this life? Most commentators deny annihilation.
- Theological theme: Divine justice is certain but often delayed; the righteous are called to patient trust.
- Best use: Preached as comfort for those who suffer injustice, and as a warning against envying the wicked’s temporary success.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.
KJV King James Version 1769
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and he shall not be.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And yet a little, and the wicked is not, And thou hast considered his place, and it is not.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For yet a little while, and the wicked is not; and thou considerest his place, but he is not.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Pues de aquí á poco no será el malo: y contemplarás sobre su lugar, y no parecerá.
E ainda um pouco, e o perverso não mais existirá ; e tu olharás para o lugar dele, e ele não aparecerá .
Encore un peu de temps, et le méchant n’ est plus;
Es ist noch um ein kleines, so ist der Gottlose nimmer; und wenn du nach seiner Stätte sehen wirst, wird er weg sein.
Vau. En nog een weinig, en de goddeloze zal er niet zijn; en gij zult acht nemen op zijn plaats, maar hij zal er niet wezen.
Ancora un poco e l’empio non sarà più; tu osserverai il suo luogo, ed egli non vi sarà più.
Po małej chwili alić niemasz niezbożnika; spojrzyszli na miejsce jego, alić go już niemasz.
Господи! пред Тобою все желания мои, и воздыхание мое не сокрыто от Тебя.
還有 片時，惡人 要歸於無有；你就是細察 他的住處 也要歸於無有。
For in a short time the evil-doer will be gone: you will go searching for his place, and it will not be there.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 37:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the phrase “the wicked will be no more” does not describe final annihilation. Barnes notes that the language “cannot mean that they will cease to exist altogether”; it means they will “no longer live to give occasion for anxious thoughts.” Gill agrees: they “shall not be annihilated or reduced to nothing,” but rather “shall be no more in the world, and in the flourishing prosperous circumstances they were.” Wesley simply says “He shall be dead and gone.” The Hebrew word ’ayin (nothing) is used here in a practical sense: the wicked vanish from the scene, their place is empty. The verse’s surrounding context reinforces this: the righteous are told to wait patiently (v.7) and not to fret because the wicked will soon be cut off (v.9). What all commentators hold in common is that the apparent success of the wicked is temporary, and their removal is certain and near.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Removal from earthly life: Barnes, Gill, Wesley: the wicked die and their prosperity ends; they still exist in the afterlife. Supported by context of the Psalm (v.9 'cut off,' v.35-36).
- Eschatological final judgment: Some see the language as pointing to the final destruction of the wicked at the end of the age, when they are 'no more' in the new creation (cf. Revelation 21:8).
- Specific historical prophecy: Clarke: the verse foretold Babylon’s swift overthrow; the 'little while' fits the 70-year exile. Supported by the word 'place' (Babylon’s location lost).
What is clear: The wicked will not always prosper; their apparent success is temporary and will be ended by God, whether by death, historical judgment, or final condemnation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'will be no more' | It does not mean the wicked cease to exist in any final sense (hell, judgment). | Some (Barnes, Gill) limit it to removal from earthly life and prosperity; others see it as including ultimate judgment at the end of the age. |
| Historical reference | The verse assures that God will act against the wicked. | Clarke applies it specifically to Babylon’s destruction; most others see it as a general principle from David’s own experience (Nabal, Absalom, etc.). |
| Timing: 'yet a little while' | The period is short from God’s perspective, not necessarily from ours. | Does this refer to the individual’s lifetime (the wicked die soon) or to eschatological judgment (the final day)? Both readings have support. |
| Applicability today | The verse offers comfort and calls for patience. | Some traditions emphasize present deliverance (God removes oppressors in history); others stress future, final vindication after death. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 37 is attributed to David and belongs to the wisdom tradition of the Psalms. It addresses a problem every believer faces: why do the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer? David writes from experience, he had seen enemies like Nabal (1 Samuel 25) struck down suddenly, their places empty. The psalm’s structure alternates between exhortation and promise, building a case for patient trust in God’s justice.
The language of “place” (Hebrew maqom) evokes the ancient Near Eastern concept of a person’s land, house, and social standing. Job 7:10 uses the same word: “He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him any more.” To have no place is to be completely gone from the community.
Some commentators, like Adam Clarke, read the verse as a direct prophecy of Babylon’s fall under Cyrus, where the empire that oppressed Israel was overthrown “in one night” and its location lost. While that specific application is debated, the broader historical context is clear: Israel’s history (from the exodus to the exile) repeatedly showed that God humbles the proud. The psalm’s immediate audience, likely Israelites facing oppression or envy of pagan neighbors, would have heard this as both a present comfort and a promise for the future inheritance of the land (v.11, echoed by Jesus in Matthew 5:5).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 37:10. The KJV and ASV translate the final clause as “it shall not be,” referring to the wicked’s place (following a possible reading of the Hebrew as referring back to maqom), while most modern versions (WEB, ESV, NIV) follow the Hebrew suffix ’einennu (and he is not), making the wicked himself the subject. Either way, the meaning is practically the same: the wicked person disappears.
Reception History
Psalm 37:10 has been a staple of Christian comfort for those suffering under oppressive regimes. The early church saw it as a promise of final judgment, often quoted alongside Matthew 5:5 (the meek inheriting the earth). In the Reformation, Calvin used the verse to argue that God’s apparent delay is a test of faith, not a sign of indifference. Wesleyan tradition has emphasized the verse’s practical call to cease from anger and trust God’s timing. Across eras, the psalm’s teaching has been sung in hymns about the brevity of life and the certainty of God’s justice.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Certainty of the Wicked’s End. The verse promises “yet a little while”, God’s timeline is fixed, not indefinite. The wicked will be no more, not because they cease to exist entirely, but because God removes them from their position of power and prosperity.
- The Patience of the Righteous. “Though you look for his place, he isn’t there.” David invites believers to invest that search in prayer and trust, not in anxious fretting. The same God who struck Nabal and Haman still rules.
- The Hope of Inheritance. The immediate context (vv.9,11) promises that the meek shall inherit the land. The removal of the wicked clears the way for God’s people to receive what He has prepared.
Five-point outline
- “Yet a little while”, God’s timing, not ours. The word “little” (me’at) signals that the waiting period is measured and purposeful.
- “The wicked will be no more”, What this does not mean. Barnes and Gill stress it is not universal annihilation; it is removal from earthly favor and life.
- “You shall diligently consider his place”, A call to observe. David invites personal verification: go look, and you will see God’s justice enacted.
- “He isn’t there”, The emptiness of wicked ambition. Their seat is vacant; their influence evaporates. Job 7:10 and Esther 7:10 illustrate this same truth.
- Application for today. This verse is not a promise to see every enemy fall in our lifetime, but an assurance that God’s justice will ultimately prevail.
Illustration hooks
- A once-dominant company that collapsed overnight, leaving its headquarters empty.
- The funeral of a notorious figure, crowds gather, but within a generation the name is barely remembered.
- A playground bully who seemed untouchable in elementary school, later exposed and powerless.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God promises to remove the wicked, why do I still see them thriving?
- How can I be sure this “little while” applies to my situation?
- Does this mean I should never pray for a wicked person’s repentance?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 37:10 answers one of the hardest questions of faith: what do we do when evil seems to win? David does not deny the reality of the wicked’s temporary success, he admits it (vv.7,35, 36). Instead, he reorients our perspective toward God’s certain, though often invisible, timeline.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 37:10 in several translations. What differences do you notice in how they render the end of the verse? How does the Hebrew affect the meaning?
- According to the commentaries, what does “the wicked will be no more” not mean? Why is that important to understand?
- Why does David specifically mention “place” (the wicked’s home, office, or land)? How does that make the disappearance more concrete?
- Look up Job 7:10, Esther 7:10, and 1 Samuel 25:38. How do these stories illustrate the truth of Psalm 37:10?
- The psalm repeatedly calls us to “rest in the Lord” and “wait patiently” (v.7). How does knowing the wicked’s end help you wait well?
- What is the difference between hoping for the wicked’s destruction and praying for their repentance? Which does Jesus call us to (Matthew 5:44)?
- How can this verse comfort someone who feels powerless under an unjust boss, government, or family situation?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 25:38 | About ten days later, Yahweh struck Nabal, so that he died. |
| I Samuel 25:39 | When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed is Yahweh, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil. Yahweh has returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to himself as wife. |
| II Kings 9:25 | Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Pick him up, and throw him in the plot of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how, when you and I rode together after Ahab his father, Yahweh laid this burden on him: |
| II Kings 9:34 | When he had come in, he ate and drank. Then he said, “See now to this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a king’s daughter.” |
| II Kings 9:37 | and the body of Jezebel will be as dung on the surface of the field on Jezreel’s land, so that they won’t say, “This is Jezebel.”’” |
| Esther 7:10 | So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath was pacified. |
| Esther 8:1 | On that day, King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the Jews’ enemy, to Esther the queen. Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her. |
| Job 7:10 | He will return no more to his house, neither will his place know him any more. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke applies the verse directly to the overthrow of Babylon, which fell so completely in one night that even its location vanished. He emphasizes that the wicked ruler was killed, the city was taken, and the whole empire was destroyed, leaving no trace behind.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists the phrase "shall not be" does not mean the wicked cease to exist altogether. Rather, it means they will no longer be present on earth: their home, seat, and usual haunts will be empty. He stresses the visible absence, the vacant place, not the end of their being.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin insists the wicked's fleeting success is actually misery, while the faithful remain truly happy even in suffering because God cares for them and will rescue them at the right time. This paradoxical truth, which defies human reason, is the Spirit's assurance against doubting
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the phrase "his place" refers to the wicked man's dwelling, but the key correction is in the next clause. The original "and it shall not be" is better translated "and he shall not be," meaning the person himself will vanish, not just his location.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that the wicked will not merely fade away but will disappear entirely after only a short time. When one looks for them, their place will be empty, as if they had never existed. This highlights the complete and sudden removal of the ungodly by God's judgment.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill clarifies that the wicked are not annihilated or reduced to nothing; they continue to exist after death in hell, will rise again, and face eternal punishment. Rather, they will no longer hold their prosperous place in the world, and their dwelling place will vanish from the earth in a short time.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the phrase often translated "shall not be" is actually present tense in the original language, meaning "is not" — it points to something that currently cannot be found, not merely a future promise of absence.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlights the grammar of the promise: in a short time the wicked will vanish, and the meek who renounce earthly supports and are content with God will inherit the land. Whatever godless self-love amasses will fall to the meek as their blessed possession.Keil-Delitzsch highlights the Hebrew construction that means after a brief time the wicked will vanish, and the meek who renounce earthly supports and are content with God alone will inherit the land. Whatever godless self-love amasses will fall to the meek as their blessed possession.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues Psalm 37 is not a theodicy addressing doubts about God's justice, but a practical exhortation against envy and anger at the wicked's success. Its proverbial, alphabetically-arranged sayings aim to impress on
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that these verses repeat the same command to rest in God and wait patiently, because we are so prone to needless disquiet and distrust. God inculcates the precept line upon line to suppress these impulses
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads each phrase as a blunt, almost dictionary-like clarification: "not be" means the person is dead and gone, "diligently" means industriously seeking him, and "his place" refers to his place, estate, and glory together. He strips away figurative or vague readings in favor of concrete, practical definitions.