Psalms 37:22 · Bible study
Psalms 37:22 Commentary: Inheriting the Land
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 37:22 contrasts the blessed who inherit the land with the cursed who are cut off, rooted in covenant blessing.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Those blessed by God will receive the land He promised; those cursed will be removed from it.
- Key words: 'blessed' (H1288, barakh), 'cursed' (H7043, qalal), 'inherit' (H3423, yarash), 'land' (H0776, erets), 'cut off' (H3772, karat).
- Main debate: Whether 'the land' is literal Canaan, the land of the living, or an eschatological inheritance (the new earth).
- Theological theme: Divine blessing as the foundation of covenant inheritance; God alone determines ultimate outcomes.
- Best use: A lens for understanding the prosperity of the wicked and the security of the righteous; a call to rest in God's favor rather than appearances.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, but the cursed will be destroyed.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.
KJV King James Version 1769
For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For such as are blessed of him shall inherit the land; And they that are cursed of him shall be cut off.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For His blessed ones do possess the land, And His reviled ones are cut off.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
for those blessed of him shall possess the land, and they that are cursed of him shall be cut off.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For sake me not, O Lord my God: do not thou depart from me.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque los benditos de él heredarán la tierra; y los malditos de él serán talados.
Porque os que são por ele abençoados herdarão a terra; mas os que são por ele amaldiçoados serão removidos.
Car ceux que bénit l’Éternel possèdent le pays,
Denn seine Gesegneten erben das Land; aber seine Verfluchten werden ausgerottet.
Want zijn gezegenden zullen de aarde erfelijk bezitten; maar zijn vervloekten zullen uitgeroeid worden.
Poiché quelli che Dio benedice erederanno la terra, ma quelli ch’ei maledice saranno sterminati.
Albowiem błogosławieni od Pana odziedziczą ziemię; ale przeklęci od niego będą wykorzenieni.
Не оставь меня, Господи, Боже мой! Не удаляйся от меня;
蒙耶和華賜福的 必承受 地土；被他咒詛的 必被剪除。
Those who have his blessing will have the earth for their heritage; but those who are cursed by him will be cut off.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 37:22
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 this verse draws a sharp line between two categories of people defined not by their own skill or virtue but by God's blessing or curse. Barnes notes that 'the difference in the ultimate condition of the two depends on the question whether they have, or have not, the favor of the Lord.' Gill specifies that 'blessed of him' refers not to the righteous man's blessing but to the Lord's, while the Targum paraphrases 'blessed... by the Word of the Lord.' The phrase 'inherit the land' echoes Psalm 37:9 and 11, where it is promised to those who wait for Yahweh and to the humble. Keil and Delitzsch connect it to Deuteronomy 28 and the patriarchal promises. The verb 'cut off' (Niphal imperfect of karat) signifies being severed from the land and the community of God's people. Calvin places the verse within the psalm's larger argument: the prosperity of the wicked is temporary, but the righteous are sustained by God's care, and this verse gives the theological foundation, God's blessing versus God's curse.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal-historical: The land is Canaan, and the promise aligns with Deuteronomy 28; seen as fulfilled in Israel's history.
- Eschatological: Jesus' use of Psalm 37:11 in the Beatitudes points to the new earth; the inheritance transcends Canaan.
- Typological-covenantal: The land typifies all God's blessings for His people, including present peace and future glory.
What is clear: The verse asserts that God's blessing is the decisive factor in the ultimate outcome for every person—those blessed will possess the inheritance; those cursed will be cut off from it.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'inherit the land' | The land is God's gift to His people, a place of security and blessing under His rule. | Some understand it as the literal Promised Land of Canaan; others as the land of the living in this age; still others as a typological pointer to the new heavens and new earth. All traditions affirm the covenantal and ultimately eschatological dimension. |
| The basis of blessing and curse | God is the source of both blessing and curse; they are not arbitrary but related to covenant faithfulness. | Protestant traditions emphasize that the blessing is by grace through faith, while Catholic and Orthodox traditions stress cooperation with grace and the role of works as evidence of righteousness. Both affirm that human response matters. |
| Relationship to the Beatitudes | Jesus' 'blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth' (Matthew 5:5) echoes Psalm 37:11 and 22. | Some see a direct continuity: the meek are the same as the blessed of the Lord. Others note that Jesus universalizes the promise beyond the land of Israel to the whole earth and gives it a stronger eschatological emphasis. |
| Timing of fulfillment | The ultimate distinction between the blessed and the cursed is sure and will be revealed in due time. | Some hold that the land is possessed partly now through a life of blessing, with full possession in the future. Others insist that in this age the wicked may also prosper, so the inheritance is entirely future, at the end of history. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 37 is a wisdom psalm, traditionally attributed to David in his old age (v. 25). It follows an acrostic pattern, each section beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which suggests a meditative, proverbial style. The core concern is the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, a problem that tested faith in ancient Israel as it does today.
The promise 'inherit the land' draws on the covenant with Abraham and the settlement of Canaan. But the psalm transforms that territorial promise into a broader principle: the land represents all that God gives His faithful people, security, provision, a place of rest. Deuteronomy 28 spells out the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, which supply the theological background. Canaan was the original inheritance, but the psalm's repetition of the phrase (vv. 9, 11, 22, 29, 34) points toward an ultimate fulfillment beyond the immediate geography.
The categories of 'blessed' and 'cursed' are covenantal, not capricious. God's blessing flows from relationship; His curse is the natural outcome of rejecting that relationship. The verse thus answers the psalm's opening warning not to fret when the wicked succeed: the final division will be made by God Himself, and it will be permanent.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 37:22. The Hebrew text (MT) reads consistently. The Septuagint and Vulgate renderings are broadly equivalent, though the Douay-Rheims version given in the supplied translations appears to follow a different source for the surrounding context, suggesting no major text-critical issue for this verse itself.
Reception History
Psalm 37 has been a staple of Christian teaching on patience and divine justice. Verse 22, with its sharp contrast, was often cited by the early church fathers to show the difference between those who belong to God and those who do not. Augustine used the psalm to preach against envy of the wicked. The phrase 'inherit the land' was naturally linked to the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:5), giving it an eschatological reading: the land is the new earth that the meek will receive. In the Reformation, Luther and Calvin both emphasized that the blessing and curse come from God alone, not from human effort, grounding assurance in God's favor rather than outward success. The Targum renders 'blessed... by the Word of the Lord,' an interpretation that Christian readers have connected to Christ as the agent of blessing. The verse continues to be used in funerals and liturgies that look forward to the final inheritance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The source of all difference: 'Blessed by him' and 'cursed by him', our standing is determined by God's favor or disfavor, not our circumstance.
- The promise of inheritance: 'Inherit the land', God gives His people a lasting home, security, and blessing, both now and ultimately.
- The finality of judgment: 'Cut off', to be severed from God's presence and people; a warning that the wicked's prosperity is not the final word.
Five-point outline
- God is the source of blessing and curse.
- Blessing leads to possession; curse leads to elimination.
- This promise reframes how we see the wicked's success.
- Righteousness is not self-made; it is a blessed relationship.
- The land is not just real estate, it is a picture of God's full salvation.
Illustration hooks
- A thriving plant in well-watered soil versus one in parched ground: both started the same, but the difference is what they receive.
- Two students with identical ability: one earns the teacher's praise and moves ahead; the other squanders it and is passed over.
- A lease for a home: one family keeps the terms, the other breaks them, and that decides whether they stay or are evicted.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I am blessed or cursed by God?
- Does this verse mean that prosperous Christians are blessed and struggling ones are cursed?
- What does 'inherit the land' actually look like in daily life today?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 37:22 draws a straight line between two kinds of people, those blessed by God and those cursed by Him. This is not about luck or effort; it is about relationship. The land, whether Canaan or the new earth, is a gift that comes only through God's favor. As you discuss, consider where your confidence rests.
Discussion questions
- What does the contrast in this verse reveal about God's character?
- How does the phrase 'inherit the land' connect to verses 9 and 11 of this same psalm?
- The wicked in Psalm 37 appear to succeed temporarily. How does verse 22 speak to that problem?
- In what ways is 'blessed by him' different from simply being a good person?
- How might this verse be misused to judge others by their circumstances?
- What does it mean for us today that Jesus quotes Psalm 37:11 in Matthew 5:5?
- What one practical change would help you live more fully under God's blessing?
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)
| Job 5:3 | I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation. |
| Psalms 32:1 | By David. A contemplative psalm. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered. |
| Psalms 37:9 | For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the land. |
| Psalms 37:11 | But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. |
| Psalms 37:18 | Yahweh knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever. |
| Psalms 37:28 | For Yahweh loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. |
| Psalms 115:15 | Blessed are you by Yahweh, who made heaven and earth. |
| Psalms 119:21 | You have rebuked the proud who are cursed, who wander from your commandments. |
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
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Shall inherit the earth - ארץ arets the land, as before. See Psa 37:11 . Shall be cut off - A wicked Jew shall meet with the same fate as a wicked Babylonian; and a wicked Christian shall fare no better.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the ultimate difference between the blessed and the cursed comes down to one thing: whether they have God's favor. It is not a matter of human skill or virtue in themselves. The final condition of every person is determined by being a friend of God or not.
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
For &c.] The wicked man ’s ruin and the righteous man’s ability to do good proceed respectively from the curse and the blessing of God.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note draws a stark divide: those whom God blesses will possess the land, while those He curses will be destroyed. The commentator sees this as an absolute spiritual principle, not merely a statement about earthly outcomes.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the blessings and curses in view come from the Lord, not from any righteous person. He notes that the blessing includes both material provision and spiritual gifts like justification and pardon, while the curse follows from breaking God's law and leads to being cut off.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws a sharp contrast: those blessed by God inherit the earth, while the cursed are cut off. The phrase "cut off" echoes Old Testament warnings (Leviticus 7:20-21) where being separated from the community meant losing one's place among God's people.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch sees the present contrast between the righteous and the wicked as already foreshadowing God's final curse and blessing. The righteous, blessed by God, grow in charity, while the wicked sink lower, both trends previewing the ultimate divine judgment and the fulfillment of the patriarchal promise.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that this psalm is neither a theodicy nor a didactic poem settling doubts about God's justice. Instead it is a series of proverbial exhortations, arranged alphabetically like pearls on a string, urging trust in God and patient obedience rather than resentment over the wicked's temporary success.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that failing to repay what one has borrowed is not merely shameful but a sinful, wicked act. He grounds this in the broader biblical call to do justice and give each person what is owed, making repayment a matter of conscience before God.