Psalm 37:5 Meaning and Explanation
“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The Context of Psalm 37:5
Psalm 37 counsels calm trust rather than fretting over those who do evil. Verse 5 gives the practical remedy: commit your way to God and let him act.
What Does Psalm 37:5 Mean?
This verse calls the believer to hand their whole course of life over to God and trust him, with the promise that he will act. "Commit thy way" means to roll the burden of one's path onto the Lord: plans, decisions, worries, and all. The command is paired with trust, and the result is left in God's hands.
The Hebrew behind "commit" carries the picture of rolling a heavy load off oneself and onto another. It is the image of release: lifting the weight of one's anxieties and ambitions and setting it on God. Yet this is active trust, a deliberate leaning on God: "trust also in him." Committing and trusting belong together, for one can only truly release what one believes God will carry. The promise that follows is quiet but confident: "he shall bring it to pass." The believer's part is to entrust the way; God's part is to accomplish his good purpose. The whole psalm counsels patience while the wicked seem to prosper, and this verse is its remedy: stop wrestling control from God's hands, roll your way onto him, and trust him to work it out in his time.
Psalm 37:5 in the Original Language
The Hebrew galal ("commit") means to roll, as in rolling a burden off oneself, and batach ("trust") means to rely on or feel secure in.
Bible Verses Related to Psalm 37:5
“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.”
- Psalm 37:7
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
- Psalm 55:22
“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”
- Psalm 32:8
How to Apply Psalm 37:5 Today
Roll the weight of your plans and worries onto God in trust, and release your need to control the outcome, leaving him to accomplish his purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalm 37:5
What does "commit thy way unto the LORD" mean?
It means rolling the whole burden of your life (plans, decisions, and worries) off yourself and onto God, entrusting your path entirely to him.
Is committing your way to God passive in Psalm 37:5?
No. It is paired with active trust ("trust also in him") and means releasing control while confidently relying on God to bring his purpose to pass.