Psalms 37:38
Psalms 37:38 in Multiple Translations
But the transgressors will all be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together: The end of the wicked shall be cut off.
But as for the sinners, they will be cut off together; the end of the wrongdoers is destruction.
But those who are rebellious will be altogether destroyed; the wicked have no future.
But the transgressours shall be destroyed together, and the ende of the wicked shall bee cut off.
And transgressors were destroyed together, The latter end of the wicked was cut off.
As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
But Yahweh will get rid of the wicked; he will also get rid of their descendants (OR, as a result, they will not have any descendants).
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 37:38
BAB
Word Study
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Psalms 37:38 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וּֽ֭/פֹשְׁעִים
נִשְׁמְד֣וּ
יַחְדָּ֑ו
אַחֲרִ֖ית
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
נִכְרָֽתָה
וּֽ֭/פֹשְׁעִים
pâshaʻ
H6586
to transgress
Conj | V-Qal
נִשְׁמְד֣וּ
shâmad
H8045
to destroy
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
יַחְדָּ֑ו
yachad
H3162
unitedness
Adv
אַחֲרִ֖ית
ʼachărîyth
H319
end
N-fs
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
râshâʻ
H7563
wicked
Adj
נִכְרָֽתָה
kârath
H3772
to cut
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 37:38
וּֽ֭/פֹשְׁעִים
pâshaʻ
H6586
"to transgress"
Conj | V-Qal
To transgress means to break away from authority, like rebelling or revolting against God or others, as seen in Psalm 51:1. It involves intentional disobedience. This concept is key in understanding sin and guilt.
Definition: 1) to rebel, transgress, revolt 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to rebel, revolt 1a2) to transgress 1b) (Niphal) to be rebelled against
Usage: Occurs in 37 OT verses. KJV: offend, rebel, revolt, transgress(-ion, -or). See also: 1 Kings 8:50; Isaiah 46:8; Psalms 37:38.
נִשְׁמְד֣וּ
shâmad
H8045
"to destroy"
V-Niphal-Perf-3cp
The Hebrew word shâmad means to destroy or desolate something, used to describe annihilation or devastation. It is used in the Bible to describe the destruction of cities or nations, such as in the book of Isaiah.
Definition: 1) to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to be annihilated, be exterminated 1a2) to be destroyed, be devastated 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to annihilate, exterminate 1b2) to destroy Aramaic equivalent: she.mad (שְׁמַד "to destroy" H8046)
Usage: Occurs in 86 OT verses. KJV: destory(-uction), bring to nought, overthrow, perish, pluck down, [idiom] utterly. See also: Genesis 34:30; 2 Samuel 22:38; Psalms 37:38.
יַחְדָּ֑ו
yachad
H3162
"unitedness"
Adv
This adverb means together, describing people doing something in unity, like in Psalm 133:1.
Definition: 1) union, unitedness
Usage: Occurs in 139 OT verses. KJV: alike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-) together, withal. See also: Genesis 13:6; Psalms 62:10; Psalms 2:2.
אַחֲרִ֖ית
ʼachărîyth
H319
"end"
N-fs
End refers to the last or final part of something, including time or events. It can also mean the future or what comes after. In the Bible, it is often used to describe the latter time or posterity.
Definition: 1) after part, end 1a) end, issue, event 1b) latter time (prophetic for future time) 1c) posterity 1d) last, hindermost Aramaic equivalent: a.cha.rit (אַחֲרִית "latter" H0320)
Usage: Occurs in 60 OT verses. KJV: (last, latter) end (time), hinder (utter) -most, length, posterity, remnant, residue, reward. See also: Genesis 49:1; Ecclesiastes 7:8; Psalms 37:37.
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
râshâʻ
H7563
"wicked"
Adj
This word describes someone who is morally wrong, a bad person who is guilty of crime or sin against God or others. It is used to describe the wicked in biblical stories, such as in the book of Genesis.
Definition: 1) wicked, criminal 1a) guilty one, one guilty of crime (subst) 1b) wicked (hostile to God) 1c) wicked, guilty of sin (against God or man)
Usage: Occurs in 248 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong. See also: Genesis 18:23; Psalms 101:8; Psalms 1:1.
נִכְרָֽתָה
kârath
H3772
"to cut"
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs
This Hebrew word means to cut or destroy something, but it also has a special meaning related to making a covenant or agreement. In Genesis 15:18, God makes a covenant with Abram, symbolized by cutting animals in half, showing the seriousness of the promise. This word is used to describe important agreements and alliances.
Definition: : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off
Usage: Occurs in 280 OT verses. KJV: be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), [idiom] lose, perish, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] want. See also: Genesis 9:11; 1 Samuel 24:6; Psalms 12:4.
Study Notes — Psalms 37:38
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 37:38 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 37:38
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 37:38
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 37:38
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 37:38
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 37:38
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 37:38
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 37:38
- Sermons on Psalms 37:38
Context — Delight Yourself in the LORD
36yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.
37Consider the blameless and observe the upright, for posterity awaits the man of peace.
38But the transgressors will all be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40The LORD helps and delivers them; He rescues and saves them from the wicked, because they take refuge in Him.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 14:32 | The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death. |
| 2 | Psalms 52:5 | Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah |
| 3 | Psalms 1:4–6 | Not so the wicked! For they are like chaff driven off by the wind. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. |
| 4 | Psalms 9:17 | The wicked will return to Sheol— all the nations who forget God. |
| 5 | Psalms 73:17 | until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end. |
| 6 | Matthew 13:30 | Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’” |
| 7 | Matthew 13:49–50 | So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous, and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. |
| 8 | Matthew 25:46 | And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” |
| 9 | 2 Thessalonians 1:8–9 | in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might, |
Psalms 37:38 Summary
[Psalms 37:38 tells us that people who disobey God and live in sin will face judgment and punishment, but those who follow God will have a bright future ahead of them. This verse is a reminder that our choices have consequences, and that God is just and fair. As it says in Romans 6:23, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. By following God and trusting in Him, we can have confidence in our salvation and our future, as seen in John 3:16.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for the transgressors to be destroyed?
This means that those who disobey God and live in sin will face judgment and punishment, as seen in Psalms 37:38 and also in Romans 6:23, where it says the wages of sin is death.
Will the wicked really be cut off from their future?
Yes, according to Psalms 37:38, the future of the wicked will be cut off, meaning they will not have a lasting legacy or inheritance, unlike the righteous who will have a lasting impact, as seen in Proverbs 10:7.
How can we be sure of our own future and salvation?
We can be sure of our salvation by putting our trust in God and following His ways, as seen in Psalms 37:37, which says to consider the blameless and observe the upright, and also in John 3:16, which says that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.
Is it wrong to desire the downfall of the wicked?
While it's natural to desire justice, as a Christian, we are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, as seen in Matthew 5:44, and to trust in God's sovereignty and justice, rather than taking matters into our own hands.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I can examine my own heart and life to ensure I am not walking in transgression against God?
- How can I trust in God's promise to cut off the future of the wicked, even when it seems like they are prospering in the present?
- What are some practical ways I can 'consider the blameless and observe the upright' in my daily life, as mentioned in Psalms 37:37?
- How can I balance my desire for justice with the command to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me?
- What does it mean for me to 'take refuge' in God, as mentioned in Psalms 37:40, and how can I do that in my daily life?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 37:38
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together,.... This is to be understood of obstinate and continued transgressors, who live and die in their transgressions; see Proverbs 11:3; otherwise all
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 37:38
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. Mark ... (man) ... for the end of (that) man (is) peace.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 37:38
Together; or, alike, one as well as another; all, without any exception or respect of persons. The end of the wicked shall be cut off, i. e. he shall be cut off at last, or in the end. His prosperity shall end in destruction. Or, the posterity of the wicked, &c.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 37:38
Psalms 37:38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.Ver. 38. But the transgressors, &c.] Here the end is worse than the beginning. Sin ever ends tragically. The end of the wicked shall be cut off] Their end is not death, but destruction; they are killed with death, Revelation 2:23, life and hope end together.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 37:38
38. But transgressors are destroyed together: The posterity of the wicked is cut off. Cp. Psalms 37:28; Psalms 109:13; Job 18:13-21. To the Israelite, with his strong sense of the continuity of life in the family, childlessness or the loss of posterity was a virtual annihilation. In the light of N.T. revelation the contrast between the ‘after’ of the righteous and the wicked is still more solemn and significant.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 37:38
But the transgressors - Sinners; violators of the law of God.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 37:38
38. But—The sharp disjunctive sense of vauv, (å, but,) which the antithesis requires, brings out the latter end of the wicked in contrast with that of the righteous.
Sermons on Psalms 37:38
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
We Should Obey God by Clement of Rome | Clement of Rome emphasizes the importance of obeying God rather than following prideful and divisive leaders who incite conflict. He warns against yielding to the harmful inclinati |
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Tomorrow Comes by Samuel Davies | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the fate of the wicked and contrasts it with the hope of the righteous. The wicked, who have lived in wickedness, will die in the same manne |
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Hell Is Real by B.H. Clendennen | This sermon emphasizes the reality of hell as an everlasting punishment for those who reject God, highlighting the consequences of a life of continual sin and the importance of rep |
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Who Has Seen Him? by Alan Redpath | Paul, in his letter to Timothy, uses the metaphor of 'Departure' to describe death as a release from toil, a liberation, and a journey to God. He expresses his desire to depart and |
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Jesus the Light of the World John 8:12-24 by R.A. Torrey | R.A. Torrey emphasizes that Jesus is the Light of the World, asserting His divine nature and the necessity of believing in Him to escape the darkness of sin. He explores the implic |
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The Inspiration of the Bible, and Its Requirements by B.A. Cundiff | B.A. Cundiff discusses the inspiration behind the Bible, arguing that it could not have been written by wicked men due to its condemnation of wickedness, nor by good men without di |
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Death by Thomas Boston | Thomas Boston preaches about the contrasting states of the wicked and the righteous in death. The wicked are driven away in their wickedness, hopeless and without solid ground for |