Psalms 37:21 Commentary: Wicked Borrow, Righteous Give

Psalm 37 is a wisdom psalm, traditionally attributed to David, addressing the age-old problem of why the wicked often prosper while the righteous suffer. The psalmist does not offer a theoretical theodicy but exhorts trust in God’s ultimate justice. Verse 21 echoes promises and warnings from the Mosaic covenant. Deuteronomy 15:6 says, “You will lend to many nations, and you will not borrow,” and Deuteronomy 28:12, 44 spells out that obedience brings the ability to lend, while disobedience brings the need to borrow and the inability to repay. Borrowing in ancient Israel was not inherently wrong; the Law provided for interest-free loans to the poor and a release of debts every seven years (Deuteronomy 15:1, 11). But chronic borrowing signaled covenant curse, especially when it forced the borrower into debt slavery (2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah 5:1, 5). The wicked in this verse are “the enemies of Yahweh” (Psalm 37:20), people who live as if God does not see or judge. Their borrowing reflects divine judgment, a reversal of the blessing that enables the righteous to give. The righteous, by contrast, “deal graciously” (the verb chanan), a word often used for God’s own mercy (Exodus 33:19). Their generosity flows from God’s provision and from hearts transformed by His grace. The psalmist grounds this not in human effort alone but in the God who “knows the days of the perfect” (Psalm 37:18) and whose blessing secures their inheritance.

The supplied commentaries and lexicons note no significant textual variants for Psalm 37:21. The Hebrew text is stable across the Masoretic tradition. A handful of medieval manuscripts show minor orthographic differences (plene vs. defective spellings), but none affect interpretation.

In the patristic era, Psalm 37 was often read as a moral guide against envy of the wicked. Augustine interprets the borrowing and not paying back as spiritual debt, the wicked borrow sins and cannot repay the righteousness they owe. The Reformers, especially Calvin, stressed God’s providential order behind the apparent chaos: the prosperity of the wicked is temporary, and their borrowing is a sign of curse. In the Protestant tradition, Matthew Henry and the Puritans used this verse to encourage honest dealing and generous giving as marks of true faith. Jewish exegesis, such as the Midrash on Psalms, connects the verse to the covenant promises of Deuteronomy, viewing the ability to give as evidence of God’s blessing. Modern evangelical commentaries often highlight both the moral and providential dimensions, cautioning against reading it as a simplistic prosperity formula.

Three-point outline

1. The wicked borrow and do not repay. Whether through culpable dishonesty or providential poverty, the lifestyle of the wicked leads to depletion and shame. Their borrowing becomes a sign of God’s judgment (Deuteronomy 28:44).
2. The righteous show mercy and give. The righteous are characterized by generosity, not because they are naturally good, but because God’s blessing supplies their need and His grace shapes their character. They have enough to share.
3. The ultimate difference is God’s blessing or curse. Verse 22 makes this explicit: those blessed inherit the land; those cursed are cut off. The visible outcomes of borrowing versus giving are not just moral choices but the outworking of God’s covenant rule.

Five-point outline

1. The wicked person as a permanent borrower (v. 21a).
2. The wicked person’s failure to repay (v. 21b).
3. The righteous person as a gracious giver (v. 21c).
4. The promise that the righteous inherit the land (v. 22a).
5. The warning that the wicked are cut off (v. 22b).

Illustration hooks

• A business partner who takes loans for personal luxuries, then avoids repayment. Contrast with a neighbor who shares crop yields in a lean season, trusting God’s provision.
• A family living paycheck to paycheck not because of poor choices but because of sustained hardship. The church community steps in to give without expecting return.
• The experience of debt relief, a microcosm of the gospel’s cancellation of sin: we who could not repay have been forgiven much, so we forgive and give freely.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Does this verse promise that every Christian will be financially prosperous? How do we reconcile it with believers who experience chronic need?
• Is borrowing always a sign of God’s disfavor? What about responsible lending and debt (e.g., mortgages, education loans)?
• How can I cultivate a generous heart when I feel stretched thin myself?

This verse sits in a psalm that helps us process the confusion when the wicked seem to thrive while the righteous struggle. Read Psalm 37:21 together with verses 17, 26. Notice how the psalmist weaves together outward circumstances and inward character, all under God’s sovereign hand. Use the following questions to guide your discussion.

Discussion questions

1. What does the verse literally say about the wicked? About the righteous?
2. Why do some commentators see this verse as describing moral character and others as describing God’s providential outcomes? Which reading fits the context better?
3. Read Deuteronomy 15:6 and 28:12, 44. How do these promises and warnings shape the meaning of Psalm 37:21?
4. The Hebrew word for “show mercy” (chanan) is the same word used for God’s grace. What does that suggest about the source of the righteous person’s generosity?
5. Verse 22 links blessing and cursing to inheritance and being cut off. How does that change the way you read verse 21?
6. When have you observed a situation where someone’s financial condition seemed to reflect their walk with God? When have you seen exceptions?
7. How can this verse encourage you to live generously, even when your own resources feel limited?