Psalm 37:26

He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

37:21-33 The Lord our God requires that we do justly, and render to all their due. It is a great sin for those that are able, to deny the payment of just debts; it is a great misery not to be able to pay them. He that is truly merciful, will be ever merciful. We must leave our sins; learn to do well, and cleave to it. This is true religion. The blessing of God is the spring, sweetness, and security of all earthly enjoyments. And if we are sure of this, we are sure not to want any thing good for us in this world. By his grace and Holy Spirit, he directs the thoughts, affections, and designs of good men. By his providence he overrules events, so as to make their way plain. He does not always show them his way for a distance, but leads them step by step, as children are led. God will keep them from being ruined by their falls, either into sin or into trouble, though such as fall into sin will be sorely hurt. Few, if any, have known the consistent believer, or his children, reduced to abject, friendless want. God forsakes not his saints in affliction; and in heaven only the righteous shall dwell for ever; that will be their everlasting habitation. A good man may fall into the hands of a messenger of Satan, and be sorely buffeted, but God will not leave him in his enemy's hands.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He is ever merciful - Margin, as in Hebrew, "all the day." That is, it is his character; he is constantly in the habit of showing kindness. He does not do it at intervals, or only occasionally, but it is this that marks the character of the man. He is known by this. The word "merciful" here means kind, compassionate, benignant - and particularly in this respect, that he is willing to "lend" to others when he has the means.

And lendeth - The wicked man "borrows," but does not pay again Psalm 37:21; the righteous man "lends" to his neighbor.

And his seed is blessed - His children; his posterity, as the result of this conduct on his part. The effect of what he does passes over from him to them, conveying rich blessings to them.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

26. his seed is blessed—literally, "for a blessing" (Ge 12:2; Ps 21:6). This position is still true as the rule of God's economy (1Ti 4:8; 6:6).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He is so far from begging from others, that he hath ability as well as inclination to give or lend to others, as need requires.

His seed is blessed, not only with spiritual, but with temporal blessings. So far shall he be from wasting his estate, and undoing himself and family by his bounty and charity, as covetous worldlings objected or feared.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He is ever merciful, and lendeth,.... He sympathizes with the poor in distress, and shows mercy to miserable objects; not only by words, but deeds: and this is his constant disposition and conduct; of which his lending, as well as giving to persons in necessity, is an instance; and which shows capacity, and is a proof of the observation of the psalmist, that such are never forsaken, nor left to beg their bread: so far from it, that they have to lend and give to others;

and his seed is blessed; either his seed sown, his alms deeds, which are blessed to him and his, and to them to whom he ministers, as Jarchi explains it; see 2 Corinthians 9:6; or rather his offspring, who are blessed of God with things temporal for his sake; and are blessed by men, who say of them, these are the posterity of such and such liberal persons.

Geneva Study Bible

He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

26. All the day long he dealeth graciously and lendeth (R.V.). Cp. Psalm 37:21; Psalm 112:5. The righteous not only have abundance, but know how to use it (Isaiah 32:5-8).

27, 28 a., b. Stanza of Samech.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 26. - He is ever merciful, and lendeth (comp. ver. 21). This psalm contains a good deal of repetition, perhaps intended to emphasize certain portions of its teaching (see vers. 1, 7, 8; 3, 27; 11, 22, 29; 7, 34, etc.). And his seed is blessed (comp. Psalm 25:13; Psalm 102:28; Psalm 112:2). Psalm 37:26

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

There is an old theological rule: promissiones corporales intelligendae sunt cum exceptione crucis et castigationis. Temporary forsakenness and destitution the Psalm does not deny: it is indeed even intended to meet the conflict of doubt which springs up in the minds of the God-fearing out of certain conditions and circumstances that are seemingly contradictory to the justice of God; and this it does, by contrasting that which in the end abides with that which is transitory, and in fact without the knowledge of any final decisive adjustment in a future world; and it only solves its problem, in so far as it is placed in the light of the New Testament, which already dawns in the Book of Ecclesiastes.