Psalm 37:7
“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Psalm 37 repeatedly urges the faithful not to envy evildoers, whose success is fleeting. Verse 7 distills that counsel into rest, patience, and freedom from fretting.
What Does Psalm 37:7 Mean?
This verse counsels a quiet, patient rest in God and a refusal to fret when those who do wrong appear to prosper. It answers a real and painful question: why does it seem to go well for the unjust? David's response is not to explain the mystery but to steady the heart -- rest, wait, and stop fretting.
Three commands shape the verse. "Rest in the LORD" calls for inner stillness and silence before God. "Wait patiently for him" asks for trustful endurance, confident that God will act in his time. And "fret not thyself" warns against the corrosive habit of agitating over the success of evildoers. The repetition -- "because of him who prospereth... because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass" -- names exactly the temptation: watching the wicked thrive and letting envy or anger boil. Fretting accomplishes nothing but the unraveling of one's own peace. The remedy is to turn the gaze from the prosperity of others to the faithfulness of God. The whole psalm assures that such prosperity is temporary, but this verse simply asks the believer to be still, wait, and trust rather than be consumed by what they cannot control.
In the Original Language
The Hebrew damam ("rest") means to be silent or still, and the verb behind "fret not" (charah) refers to burning anger or agitation.
Cross References
“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
- Psalm 37:5
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.”
- Psalm 37:1
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
- Psalm 46:10
Application
When the success of the unjust tempts you toward envy or anger, choose stillness before God and patient trust instead of corrosive fretting.