Psalm 37:11

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Shall inherit.—A repetition of Psalm 37:3.—Better, are heirs of the land, i.e., Canaan. Christ’s Beatitude (see Matthew 5:3, N. Test. Commentary) widens the promise and lifts it to a higher level. The quiet, unpretending, contented servant of God gets more true blessedness out of the earth, and so more truly possesses it, than the ungodly, though they be lords of broad acres.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

37:7-20 Let us be satisfied that God will make all to work for good to us. Let us not discompose ourselves at what we see in this world. A fretful, discontented spirit is open to many temptations. For, in all respects, the little which is allotted to the righteous, is more comfortable and more profitable than the ill-gotten and abused riches of ungodly men. It comes from a hand of special love. God provides plentifully and well, not only for his working servants, but for his waiting servants. They have that which is better than wealth, peace of mind, peace with God, and then peace in God; that peace which the world cannot give, and which the world cannot have. God knows the believer's days. Not one day's work shall go unrewarded. Their time on earth is reckoned by days, which will soon be numbered; but heavenly happiness shall be for ever. This will be a real support to believers in evil times. Those that rest on the Rock of ages, have no reason to envy the wicked the support of their broken reeds.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But the meek shall inherit the earth - See the notes at Psalm 37:3. On the meaning of the word here rendered "meek," see the notes at Psalm 9:12, where it is rendered "humble." The word properly denotes those who are afflicted, distressed, needy; then, those who are of humble rank in life; then, the mild, the gentle, the meek. The term here is a general one to denote those who are the friends of God, considered as meek, mild, gentle, humble, in contradistinction from the wicked who are proud and haughty; perhaps also, in this connection, in contrast with the wicked as prosperous in life. It was probably this passage that the Saviour quoted in Matthew 5:5.

And shall delight themselves -

(a) Shall "prefer" what is here referred to as the source of their happiness, or as in accordance with the desires of their hearts;

(b) shall "find" actual delight or happiness in this.

Though not rich and prospered in this world as the wicked often are, yet they will have their own sources of enjoyment, and will find happiness in what they prefer.

In the abundance of peace - In abundant peace. In the tranquility and quietness in which they spend their lives, in contrast with the jealousies, the contentions, and the strifes which exist among the wicked even when prosperous. They will have peace with God Psalm 29:11; Psalm 85:8; Psalm 119:165; Romans 5:1; they will have peace in their own consciences; they will have peace in the calmness of a quiet and contented spirit; they will have peace with those around them, as they have no passions to gratify, and no object to secure, which will excite the envy, or stir up the wrath, of others.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. peace—includes prosperity.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The meek, i.e. the godly, who are frequently thus called, as Psalm 22:26 149:4; those who patiently bear God’s afflicting hand, and meekly pass by injuries from ungodly men. The abundance of peace; partly of outward peace and prosperity, which God in his due time will give them; and principally of inward peace and satisfaction of mind, in the sense of God’s favour, and the assurance of his own endless happiness.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But the meek shall inherit the earth,.... See Gill on Psalm 37:9; of this character See Gill on Psalm 22:26. Our Lord seems to refer to this passage in Matthew 5:5;

and shall delight themselves is the abundance of peace; of spiritual peace enjoyed in a way of believing, arising from a comfortable view of interest in the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ; and of all happiness and prosperity in the kingdom of Christ here on earth, at which time there will be abundance of peace, Psalm 72:7; or of eternal peace in the world to come, which will be a state of uninterrupted and unspeakable peace; see Psalm 37:37; all which afford inconceivable delight and pleasure; and therefore such have no need to fret and be envious at the fading happiness of wicked men.

Geneva Study Bible

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. The promise is reaffirmed in a larger sense in the beatitude of Matthew 5:5, the language of which reproduces the rendering of the LXX here: οἱ δὲ πρᾳεῖς κληρονομήσουσιν γῆν.

in the abundance of peace] Cp. Psalm 72:7; Psalm 119:165; Isaiah 32:17.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - But the meek shall inherit the earth. This prophecy is endorsed by our Lord (Matthew 5:5). It has only had occasional fulfilment hitherto, notably in Moses, the meekest man of his day (Numbers 12:3); to some extent in St. Louis and other great saints, whose influence has been world-wide, as St. Francis d'Assisi, St. Francis Xavier, St. Carlo Boromeo, and others. And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Being men of peace, the meek, when they "inherit the earth," will establish universal peace (Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 65:25; Ezekiel 34:25) and "delight in the abundance of it" (comp. Psalm 72:7). Psalm 37:11

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The protasis in Psalm 37:10 is literally: adhuc parum (temporis superest), עוד מעט ו, as e.g., Exodus 23:30, and as in a similar connection מעט ו, Job 24:24. והתבּוננתּ also is a protasis with a hypothetical perfect, Ges. ֗155, 4, a. This promise also runs in the mouth of the Preacher on the Mount (Matthew 5:5) just as the lxx renders Psalm 37:11: οἱ δὲ πρᾳεῖς κληρονομήσουσι γῆν. Meekness, which is content with God, and renounces all earthly stays, will at length become the inheritor of the land, yea of the earth. Whatever God-opposed self-love may amass to itself and may seek to acquire, falls into the hands of the meek as their blessed possession.