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Psalm 37:4 and the Other Verses of Psalm 37

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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”

Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively.  Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior.  Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This webpage could be periodically updated.  If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated.  Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.  

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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.  

When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:  

“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  

It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:  

“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”

It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:  

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”

A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned.  In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher.  Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:  

If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship:  whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living.  As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.

Note:  Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites.  Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM].  The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges.  The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity.  The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness.  In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human.  When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god.  Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.  

The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind.  In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:  

Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession.  Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram.  Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:  

Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:  

Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.  Also, it is still much more evident:  that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life.  Indeed, it is attested:  “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Note:  The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah.  Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body.  The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.  

Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest.  In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family.  Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:  

However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE.  You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Note:  Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people.  In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people.  The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23.  In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.  

Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Put succinctly:  itʼs the message rather than the messenger.  In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:  

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that.  I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book.  Worship God.”

*Note:  The word says is in the Greek historical present tense.  By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.  

Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated.  That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:  

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews.  Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.  Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.

Note:  The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”  

Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  It is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur.  The Feast of Trumpets was one of the seven feasts that the Israelites were supposed to celebrate each year under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites.  Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law.  The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law by being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Mosaic Law, no believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  

While it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2027, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur during a time other than the time of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah.  Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur during the time of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah, one can be prepared for that time because of already being in the habit of being prepared.  Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life.  Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.  

Whether the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah in 2027 is during August, September, or October depends on whether barley crop in Israel in 2027 is first in a status known as abib [ah-BEEB] (also known as aviv [ah-VEEV]) in February, March, or April.  On which day and at what time in August, September, or October the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would start depends on the time of the last sunset over Jerusalem before the first sliver of a crescent new moon after that sunset.  The crescent new moon is the illumination of a sliver of the waxing moon.  The moon is waxing when it is becoming more and more illuminated after what some people refer to as the astronomical new moon, the time when there is an absence of illumination of the moon—in other words, when there is an absence of reflection of light from the moon.  On which day and at what time in August, September, or October the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would end depends on whether the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah lasts one day or two days and whether the time of day of the end of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah is at sunset, at the end of civil twilight, at the end of nautical twilight, or at the end of astronomical twilight.  

Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:  

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.  Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52

Behold, I tell you a mystery:  we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation.  The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation.  1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic.  In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.  

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober.  Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.  However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.  Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Note:  In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent.  In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context.  Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!”  In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness.  The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture.  In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation.  Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

The verse of the day for October 19th is Psalm 37:4.  Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to Psalm 37.  

Note:  The structure of Psalm 37 involves a pattern related to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet.  Some people refer to the psalms that have such an alphabetical structure as acrostic [uh-CROSS-tick] psalms.  Such psalms can also be referred to as abecedarian [ay-bee-see-DEHR-ee-uhn] psalms.  There are forty verses in this psalm, and twenty-two of those verses are involved in the pattern.  The pattern involves each successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet being in a verse in sequence.  In most of the verses that are part of the acrostic pattern in this psalm, the Hebrew letter is at the beginning of the first word of a verse.  In that regard, Hebrew is written and read from right to left.  In one verse, the Hebrew letter that is part of the sequential pattern is at the end of a word that is near the end of the verse.  In another verse, the Hebrew letter that is part of the sequential pattern is the first letter of the word after the conjunction that is at the beginning of the verse.  Also, it is important to be aware that when the psalms were written, they were not divided into verse numbers.  For reference, below is a list of the verses and associated Hebrew letters that are part of the acrostic pattern.  

Psalm 37:1

Of David.

Do not heat oneself in vexation / Do not grow hot with anger / Do not fret because of evildoers.  Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

Psalm 37:2

Certainly, they wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.

Psalm 37:3

Trust in Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One and do good.  Dwell in the land and feed on truth.

Note:  Regarding the phrase feed on truth, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should be devoted to learning the Word of God rather than devoted to learning false information.  In that regard, false ideas can be referred to as human viewpoint.  The term human viewpoint refers to any viewpoint that deviates from the Word of God.  In contrast, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint of the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit].  All three Members of the Trinity have the same viewpoint.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can learn divine viewpoint by learning the Word of God.  Therefore, divine viewpoint is the viewpoint that comes from a proper understanding of the Word of God.  With human-viewpoint thinking, a person has unrealistic expectations regarding life.  Such a person is divorced from reality.  

Human viewpoint comes from the fallen angel Satan.  Satan is also known as the devil.  Regarding human viewpoint coming from Satan, Satan is a deceitful narcissist who has promulgated a variety of false ideas throughout the world.  Those false ideas that Satan has spread throughout the world can be referred to as false doctrines.  Also, Satan is the leader of the fallen angels, and fallen angels can be referred to as demons.  Therefore, human-viewpoint thinking is reflective of the thinking of demons.  The thinking of demons can also be referred to as doctrines of demons.  In addition, the thinking of demons can be referred to as Satanic doctrines.  

It is important for a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to refrain from being influenced by false ideas.  A believer should feed on the truth of the Word of God instead.  In order for a believer to learn the Word of God, that believer needs to be in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit when that believer is studying the Word of God.  In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again, in fellowship with the Trinity again, and ready to learn and obey the Word of God again.  

Regarding trusting in God the Father and regarding doing good, a believer needs to learn the Word of God in order to be able to regularly trust in God the Father and in order to know how to do good.  Also, a believer needs to be in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit when that believer is doing whatever that believer does.  When a believer is in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, whatever that believer does is known as divine good.  In that regard, when a believer is in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, the results of whatever that believer does are known as divine-good production.  In contrast to divine good is human good.  The term human good refers to the seemingly good works done by believers who are out of fellowship with the Trinity and the seemingly good works done by unbelievers.  Human good is a cheap, phoney substitute for divine good.  

Whatever a believer who is out of fellowship with the Trinity does is motivated by selfishness in some way, shape, or form.  Also, an unbeliever is unable to refrain from sinning in some way, shape, or form.  Even if an unbeliever is behaving in a seemingly moral manner, that unbeliever is motivated by selfishness; therefore, an unbeliever is sinning even when appearing to be moral.  Regarding the foregoing, the human good that a person does is motivated by selfishness in some way, shape, or form.  

Human good comes from Satan.  In that regard, Satanʼs use of human good as a cheap, phoney substitute for divine good is part of Satanʼs attempts to counterfeit that which is divine.  Because Satanʼs attempts to be like the Trinity involve counterfeiting that which is divine, the various forms of human good can be referred to as pseudo-good.  In that regard, the more of the Word of God that a believer learns, the more that that believer is able to distinguish between what is truly good and the various forms of pseudo-good.  

Regarding distinguishing between what is truly good and the various forms of pseudo-good, a right thing must be done in a right way.  Below is a list of right and wrong things.  

A right thing done in a wrong way is wrong.  

A wrong thing done in a right way is wrong.  

A wrong thing done in a wrong way is wrong.  

A right thing done in a right way is right.  

The word land in Psalm 37:3 refers to the Promised Land.  The Promised Land is the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelites.  At the time the Israelites entered it, the land was inhabited by Canaanites.  In that regard, that land can also be referred to as the land of Canaan.  

God the Fatherʼs promise of land to Abraham is part of God the Fatherʼs promises to Abraham.  Also, the content of Genesis 12:3 involves some of God the Fatherʼs promises to Abraham.  God the Fatherʼs promises to Abraham are called the Abrahamic Covenant.  The Abrahamic Covenant is for Abraham, Abrahamʼs son Isaac, Abrahamʼs grandson Jacob, and the people descended from Jacob.  Jacob was renamed Israel.  In that regard, the people descended from Jacob can be referred to as Israelites.  Regarding Genesis 12:3, below is content related to Genesis 12:1–3.  

Genesis 12:1

Now Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One says to Abram, “Go away from your country and from your relatives and from your fatherʼs house to the land which I show you, 

Note:  At the time described in Genesis 12:1, Abraham was still named Abram.  In this verse, the uses of a present tense in the phrase says to Abram and the phrase which I show you are references to what has occurred in the past.  Such uses of a present tense have a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the past can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine past events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.  

Genesis 12:2

and I make you a great nation, and I bless you, and make your name great, and you be a blessing, 

Note:  The uses of a present tense in the verbs of this verse are references to the future.  

Genesis 12:3

and I bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I curse, and in you all the families of the earth have been blessed.”

Note:  The use of the perfect tense in the phrase have been blessed is a reference to the future.  Such a use of the perfect tense has a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future?  Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.  In that regard, the phrase in you all the families of the earth have been blessed indicated that it was 100% certain that the Savior would be descended from Abraham and that people of all racial groups would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  

In Genesis 12:3, the phrase I bless those who bless you indicates that those who are kind to Israelites will experience blessing.  Being kind to Israelites can be referred to as being pro-Semitic.  Unspecified in this verse is in what way or ways the blessing will occur.  Also, such blessing can apply to individuals or groups of people.  In that regard, if kindness towards Israelites is widespread in a region, then that region will experience blessing.  

In Genesis 12:3, the phrase the one who curses you I curse indicates that those who are hostile towards any Israelites will experience cursing.  Hostility towards Israelites can be referred to as being anti-Semitic.  Unspecified in this verse is how soon the cursing occurs after hostility is directed towards any Israelites.  Also, such cursing can apply to individuals or groups of people.  In that regard, if hostility directed towards any Israelites is widespread in a region, then that region will experience cursing.  

The Abrahamic Covenant also involves promises related to land for Israelites.  Those promises will be completely fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth on the occasion of the Second Advent.  Below is a list of topics and related verses involving the land for Israelites.  

The land promise to Abraham when he was still named Abram is in Genesis 13:14–16.  

The dimensions of the land promise are referenced in Genesis 15:18–21.  

The confirmation of the promise to Isaac is in Genesis 26:3–4.  

The confirmation of the promise to Jacob and the Israelites is in Genesis 35:12.  

The fact that the promise of land was given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelites was communicated to Moses, and Moses communicated that fact to the Israelites whom he led in the Exodus out of Egypt.  That topic is covered in Exodus 6:2–9.  

Regarding the Second Advent, below is a synopsis of human history as categorized into time periods known as dispensations.  In the below synopsis, there is the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn].  This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being 100% Deity and 100% humanity.  The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis].  After the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, His body was in the grave for three days and three nights.  He was then resurrected, and He was on the earth for forty days after He was resurrected.  He then ascended to Heaven, and ten days after that, the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst] occurred.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2027.  

Regarding the word judgment, the proper way to spell that word is without an e between the dg and the m.  In that regard, the e of the root word judge is dropped when the suffix ment is added to that root word.  The formation of the word judgment is shown below.  

judge −e +ment

= judg +ment

= judgment

Another way to categorize human history is by means of civilizations.  Civilizations begin only with believers.  Regarding the timing of civilizations and dispensations, the first civilization began with Adam and ended on the occasion of the Great Flood (also known as the Flood).  That civilization is known as the antediluvian civilization and the predulivian civilization.  In that regard, the prefixes ante and pre mean “before.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time before the Flood.  Those spellings include antediluvian, ante-diluvian, prediluvian, and pre-diluvian.  

After the Flood, there were only eight believers on the earth:  Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sonsʼ wives.  With the removal of the unbelievers from the earth on the occasion of the Flood, a new civilization was started.  That civilization is known as the postdiluvian civilization (also known as the postdiluvial civilization).  Regarding the terminology, the prefix post means “after,” and the adjectives diluvian and diluvial mean “having to do with a flood.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time after the Flood.  Those spellings include postdiluvian, post-diluvian, postdiluvial, and post-diluvial.  The postdiluvian civilization will end on the occasion of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  On the occasion of the Second Advent, the Lord will remove all unbelievers from the earth.  Their removal will be by means of physical death just as the removal of all unbelievers was by means of physical death on the occasion of the Flood.  This is called the Baptism of Fire, which is either a metaphorical description because fire can be used to represent judgment or a literal reference to the use of fire in the judgment of unbelievers on the occasion of the Second Advent.  The Baptism of Fire is referenced in Matthew 3:11–12; Luke 3:15–17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9.  

Just as a new civilization started after the Flood, so also a new civilization will start after the Baptism of Fire.  That civilization is called the Millennium.  The Millennium is both a civilization and a dispensation.  The Eternal State is also both a civilization and a dispensation.  

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, and He gives you the desires of your heart.

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  Regarding the desires of a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, if those desires are inconsistent with the will of God the Father, then the believer who has those desires is doing something other than delighting in God the Father.  

Psalm 37:5

Roll your way on Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.  Trust also in Him, and He does/makes/produces.

Note:  The content in the first sentence of this verse metaphorically refers to letting God the Father take care of oneʼs burdens in life.  

Psalm 37:6

He has brought forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.

Note:  In the context of this verse, the word judgment refers to the ability of a believer to make proper decisions.  The use of the perfect tense in the phrase He has brought forth is a reference to the future.  Such a use of the perfect tense has a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future?  Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.  Regarding the foregoing, God the Father ensures that the unselfishness and proper decision-making of believers who obey the Word of God becomes evident.  Of course, not everyone to whom the unselfishness and proper decision-making of a believer who obeys the Word of God becomes evident will acknowledge that unselfishness and proper decision-making of that believer who obeys the Word of God.  

Psalm 37:7

Rest / Be still / Be silent in Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One and wait patiently for Him.  Do not heat oneself in vexation / Do not grow hot with anger / Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way—because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

Note:  The first half of this verse indicates that a believer should wait patiently for God the Fatherʼs timing, and the first half of this verse indicates that a believer should do so without complaining.  The second half of this verse indicates that a believer should refrain from becoming upset about selfish people who seem to prosper.  

Psalm 37:8

Cease from anger and forsake rage / hot displeasure / fury.  Do not heat oneself in vexation / Do not grow hot with anger / Do not fret—only to evildoing.

Note:  The phrase only to evildoing is elliptical in that a verb has been omitted.  In that regard, the context of the content of this verse is such that David is indicating that a believer needs to refrain from committing mental-attitude sins toward selfish people because a believerʼs failure to refrain from committing mental-attitude sins will result in that believer doing evil.  If a believer fails to refrain from committing mental-attitude sins toward selfish people, then that believer will become similar to those people.  

There are three broad categories of sins:  mental-attitude sins, verbal sins, and overt sins.  Verbal sins can also be referred to as sins of the tongue.  They can also be referred to as communicative sins because that category also encompasses non-verbal communication that involves sinning.  Communicative sins can also involve physical means of communication such as facial expressions, other forms of body language, tone of voice, and demeanor.  

Psalm 37:9

Certainly, evildoers are cut off, but those who wait for Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One—they inherit the land.

Note:  The land referenced in this verse is the Promised Land.  As mentioned in the notes for verse 3, that promise of land will be completely fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth on the occasion of the Second Advent.  

Psalm 37:10

Yet a little while and the wicked man is no more.  You have looked carefully for his place, and he is not.

Note:  The length of time to which the phrase a little while refers is unspecified.  Compared to eternity, any amount of time in human history is a little while.  The uses of a present tense in the phrases is no more and is not are references to the future.  Such uses of a present tense have a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the future can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine future events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.  God the Father removes wicked people from the presence of a believer who is regularly obeying the Word of God, and God the Father chooses the perfect timing for the removals.  

The use of the perfect tense in the phrase have looked carefully is a reference to the future.  Such a use of the perfect tense has a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future?  Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.  

Psalm 37:11

The humble/meek inherit the land, and they have delighted themselves in abundant prosperity.

Note:  Being humble/meek is the opposite of being self-assertive.  

Psalm 37:12

The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth.

Psalm 37:13

'Adonay [add-oh-NIGH] / The Lord laughs at him, for He has seen that his day comes.

Note:  The wicked are eventually judged.  Also, God the Father is omniscient [ahm-NISH-uhnt] [all-knowing].  In that regard, God the Father knows the perfect timing for the judgment of each wicked person.  

Psalm 37:14

The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the afflicted and the needy, to slay those who are upright in conduct.

Psalm 37:15

Their sword enters their own heart, and their bows are broken.

Note:  In this verse, the word heart literally refers to an organ that pumps blood in a body.  While that usage literally refers to a heart, the references to a sword, a heart, and a broken bow are metaphorical references to selfish people suffering consequences for their selfishness.  

Psalm 37:16

Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.

Psalm 37:17

Certainly, the arms of the wicked are broken, but Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One sustains the righteous.

Note:  The use of a present tense in the phrase are broken is a reference to the future.  

Psalm 37:18

Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance is forever.

Note:  God the Father knows how many days a believer will have before that believer goes to Heaven, and God the Father knows all that will occur during the life of each believer.  That usage of the word Heaven refers to the location of the throne room of God the Father.  Below is a summary of the different usages for the word heaven.  

• The first heaven (also known as [aka] first heavens):  the atmosphere of earth

• The second heaven (aka second heavens):  outer space

• The Third Heaven (aka Third Heavens or simply as Heaven):  the location of the throne room of God the Father

Also, believers who obey the Word of God receive eternal rewards.  

Psalm 37:19

They are not ashamed in the time of evil/calamity/harm/trouble, and in the days of famine they have abundance.

Psalm 37:20

Certainly, the wicked perish, and the enemies of Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One are like the precious of the pastures.  They have vanished / have perished—like smoke they have vanished / have perished away.

Note:  The phrase precious of the pastures might refer to sheep in pastures or to vegetation in pastures.  Regardless of whether that phrase refers to sheep or vegetation, the content of this verse calls attention to the fact that just like precious things in pastures are selected to be cooked or burned and thus have a limited time before being consumed, so also selfish people have a limited time before they experience physical death.  

In this verse, the uses of the perfect tense in verbs in this verse are references to the future.  Such uses of the perfect tense have a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future?  Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.  

Psalm 37:21

The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.

Psalm 37:22

Certainly, those blessed by Him inherit the land, but those cursed by Him are cut off.

Note:  In the context of Psalm 37, the phrase cut off in this verse refers to a person experiencing physical death sooner than that person otherwise would have if that person had regularly obeyed the Word of God.  

Psalm 37:23

The steps of a valiant man have been established by Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, and He delights in his way.

Note:  God the Father chooses how much time a person has before experiencing physical death.  Also, God the Father is pleased by unselfish people.  In order for a person to be unselfish, a person must be a believer who is in fellowship with the Trinity.  

Psalm 37:24

When he falls, he is not hurled headlong because Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One is the One Who holds his hand.

Note:  Believers are imperfect; therefore, they will sometimes sin.  As long as a believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, God the Father will ensure that that believerʼs life until that believer experiences physical death or—if that believer goes to Heaven without experiencing physical death—until that believer goes to Heaven without experiencing physical death will be the full amount of days that God the Father has planned for that believer.  

Psalm 37:25

I have been young.  I have also been old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed/descendants searching for / begging bread/food.

Psalm 37:26

All day long he is gracious and lends, and his seed/descendants are a blessing.

Psalm 37:27

Depart from evil and do good.  Dwell always.

Note:  In the context of Psalm 37, dwelling is in reference to dwelling in the Promised Land.  In that regard, David wanted the Israelites to do good so that God the Father would permit the Israelites to remain in the Promised Land.  Because an insufficient amount of Israelites have done good at various times, there have been generations of Israelites that have dwelt outside the Promised Land.  

Psalm 37:28

Certainly, Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One loves justice/judgment and does not forsake His faithful ones / godly ones.  They have been preserved forever, but the seed/descendants of the wicked have been cut off.

Note:  The end part of this verse references family lines being discontinued.  

Psalm 37:29

The righteous inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

Note:  The uses of a present tense in the verbs of this verse are references to the future.  What is described in this verse will be completely fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth on the occasion of the Second Advent.  

Psalm 37:30

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

Psalm 37:31

The law of his 'Elohiym [el-oh-HEEM] / Godhead is in his heart.  His steps do not slip.

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  

Psalm 37:32

The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.

Psalm 37:33

Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One does not leave him in his hand nor condemn him when he is judged.

Note:  In this verse, the pronoun his refers to the wicked.  Both instances of the pronoun him and the one instance of the pronoun he in this verse refer to a believer who obeys the Word of God.  Regarding the foregoing, the content of verse 32 provides context for the content of this verse.  

The phrase does not leave him in his hand in this verse refers to God the Father preventing a wicked person from permanently harming a believer who obeys the Word of God.  In that regard, while a wicked person could cause a believer to experience physical death, a wicked person is unable to prevent a believer from having eternal life.  Eternal life is permanent.  In contrast, whatever a wicked person can do to a believer, including causing the physical death of that believer, is temporary.  

The phrase nor condemn him when he is judged in this verse refers to God the Father not condemning a believer whom one or more people unjustly condemn to be punished.  In that regard, while a wicked person could persecute a believer by falsely accusing that believer such that that believer is condemned for something regarding which that believer is innocent, God the Father ensures that that believer will ultimately be treated justly.  While that just treatment of such a believer could occur before that believer goes to Heaven, that just treatment could also occur after that believer goes to Heaven.  

Psalm 37:34

Wait for Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One and keep His way.  He exalts you to inherit the land.  When the wicked are cut off, you see it.

Psalm 37:35

I have seen a wicked, violent man spreading himself like a flourishing native plant.

Psalm 37:36

Then he passes away, and lo, he is no more.  I seek for him, but he has not been found.

Note:  Even though selfish people seem to prosper, eventually selfish people are removed from the presence of a believer who regularly obeys the Word of God.  

Psalm 37:37

Observe the תָּם [TAHM] / tam / upright, and behold the יָשָׁר [yah-SHAHR] / yashar / upright.  Certainly, the future of that man is prosperity.

Note:  This verse refers to a believer who regularly obeys the Word of God.  In that regard, this verse contains two Hebrew adjectives that can be translated as “upright.”  Also, it is possible that the future time when such a believer will experience prosperity will be after that believer goes to Heaven.  

Psalm 37:38

Transgressors have been altogether destroyed.  The future of the wicked has been cut off.

Note:  The uses of the perfect tense in the verbs of this verse are references to the future.  As mentioned in the notes for verse 20, such uses of the perfect tense in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.  In that regard, wicked people are 100% certain to experience physical death sooner than they would have if they had regularly obeyed the Word of God.  

Psalm 37:39

The salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.  He is their strength in time of trouble.

Note:  Absent from this verse and the other verses of this psalm is anything indicating that salvation is from the people being saved.  In that regard, the content of this verse indicates that people are unable to provide eternal life for themselves.  

Psalm 37:40

Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One helps them and delivers them.  He delivers them from the wicked and saves them because they trust in Him.

Note:  Absent from this verse and the other verses of this psalm is anything indicating that people are saved because they trust in themselves.  In that regard, a person trying to get to Heaven by means of that personʼs goodness involves that person trusting in himself or herself.  The means by which a person gets to have eternal life is by putting that personʼs trust in the Lord Jesus Christ by believing that the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity.  

Sincerely,

John