Psalm 37:5

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Commit . . .—See margin, and Psalm 22:8. (Comp. Proverbs 16:3.) In Psalm 55:22 the word is different.

Benson Commentary

Psalm 37:5-6. Commit thy way unto the Lord — All thy cares and business, thy desires and necessities. Commend them to God by fervent prayer, referring them to his good-will, and expecting a happy issue of all from him. And he shall bring it to pass — Hebrew, he shall do, or work, namely, for thee, or what is fit to be done; or what thou desirest, in the sense explained on Psalm 37:4. He shall bring forth thy righteousness — Namely, to the view of the world, from which it hath hitherto appeared to be hid, or eclipsed, by reproaches, and by grievous calamities, which most men are apt to mistake for tokens and punishments of great wickedness; as the light — It shall be as visible to men as the light of the sun at noon-day.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

37:1-6 When we look abroad we see the world full of evil-doers, that flourish and live in ease. So it was seen of old, therefore let us not marvel at the matter. We are tempted to fret at this, to think them the only happy people, and so we are prone to do like them: but this we are warned against. Outward prosperity is fading. When we look forward, with an eye of faith, we shall see no reason to envy the wicked. Their weeping and wailing will be everlasting. The life of religion is a believing trust in the Lord, and diligent care to serve him according to his will. It is not trusting God, but tempting him, if we do not make conscience of our duty to him. A man's life consists not in abundance, but, Thou shalt have food convenient for thee. This is more than we deserve, and it is enough for one that is going to heaven. To delight in God is as much a privilege as a duty. He has not promised to gratify the appetites of the body, and the humours of the fancy, but the desires of the renewed, sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and serve God. Commit thy way unto the Lord; roll thy way upon the Lord, so the margin reads it. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, the burden of thy care. We must roll it off ourselves, not afflict and perplex ourselves with thoughts about future events, but refer them to God. By prayer spread thy case and all thy cares before the Lord, and trust in him. We must do our duty, and then leave the event with God. The promise is very sweet: He shall bring that to pass, whatever it is, which thou has committed to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Commit thy way unto the - Lord. Margin, as in Hebrew, "Roll thy way upon, the Lord." Compare the notes at Psalm 22:8, where the marg., as the Hebrew, is, "He rolled himself on the Lord." See also 1 Peter 5:7. The idea is that of rolling a heavy burden from ourselves on another, or laying it upon him, so that he may bear it. The burden which we have not got strength to bear we may lay on God. The term "way" means properly the act of treading or going; then, a way or path; then, a course of life, or the manner in which one lives; and the reference here is to the whole course of life, or all that can affect life; all our plans or conduct; all the issues or results of those plans. It is equivalent here to "lot" or "destiny." Everything, in regard to the manner in which we live, and all its results, are to be committed to the Lord.

Trust also in him - See Psalm 37:3.

And he shall bring it to pass - Hebrew, "He shall do it." That is, He will bring it to a proper issue; He will secure a happy result. He will take care of your interests, and will not permit you to suffer, or to be ultimately wronged. The thing particularly referred to here, as appears from the next verse, is reputation or character.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. Commit thy way—(Pr 16:3). Works—what you have to do and cannot set forth as a burden.

trust … in him—literally, "on Him." He will do what you cannot (compare Ps 22:8; 31:6). He will not suffer your character to remain under suspicion.

The Treasury of David

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Psalm 37:5

"Commit thy way unto the Lord." Roll the whole burden of life upon the Lord. Leave with Jehovah not thy present fretfulness merely, but all thy cares; in fact, submit the whole tenor of thy way to him. Cast away anxiety, resign thy will, submit thy judgment, leave all with the God of all. What a medicine is this for expelling envy! What a high attainment does this fourth precept indicate! How blessed must he be who lives every day in obedience to it! "Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Our destiny shall be joyfully accomplished if we confidently entrust all to our Lord. We may serenely sing -

"Thy way, not mine, O Lord,

However dark it be;

O lead me by thine own right hand,

Choose out the path for me.

Smooth let it be or rough,

It will be still the best;

Winding or straight, it matters not,

It leads me to thy rest.

I dare not choose my lot,

I would not if Icontinued...

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Thy way, i.e. all thy cares and business, thy desires and necessities. Commend them to God by fervent prayer, referring them to his good will, and expecting a happy issue of all from him.

He shall bring it to pass, Heb. he shall do, or work, to wit, for thee, or what is fit to be done, or what thou desirest in the sense given on Psalm 37:4.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Commit thy way unto the Lord,.... Or "thy works", as in Proverbs 16:3; that is, all the affairs and business of life, which are a man's ways in which he walks; not that men should sit still, be inactive, and do nothing, and leave all to be done by the Lord; but should seek direction of God in everything engaged in, and for strength and assistance to perform it, and go on in it, and depend upon him for success, and give him all the glory, without trusting to any thing done by them: or, as some render the words, "reveal thy way unto the Lord" (n); not that God is ignorant of the ways of men, and of their affairs, and of their wants and necessities, but it is their duty to ask, and it is his delight to hear; they may come and use freedom with him, and tell him their whole case, and leave it with him, believing he will supply all their need: or, as others render it, "roll thy way on the Lord" (o); see Psalm 55:22; meaning not the burden of sin, nor the weight of affliction, but any affair of moment and importance that lies heavy upon the mind;

trust also in him; it is an ease to the mind to spread it before the Lord, who sympathizes with his people, supports them under and brings them through their difficulties;

and he shall bring it to pass; as he does whatever he has appointed and determined shall be, and whatever he has promised, and whatever will be for his own glory and his people's good.

(n) Sept. "revela", V. L. Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so the Targum, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis. (o) "Devolve super Jehovam", Tigurine version.

Geneva Study Bible

{d} Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

(d) Do not be led by your own wisdom, but obey God and he will finish his work in you.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. Commit &c.] Lit. Roll thy way upon Jehovah: shake off and devolve upon Him all the burden of anxiety for life’s course. Cp. Proverbs 16:3; 1 Peter 5:7.

and he shall bring it to pass] With forcible brevity in the Heb. simply, and HE (emphatic) will do (ipse faciet, Vulg.) all that is needful. Cp. Psalm 52:9; Psalm 119:126 : 1 Thessalonians 5:24. This verse combines Psalm 37:8; Psalm 37:31 of Psalms 22.

5, 6. Stanza of Gimel. The reward of faith.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 5. - Commit thy way unto the Lord (comp. Proverbs 16:3; Psalm 22:8). The meaning is, "Cast thyself and thy life unreservedly upon God - yield thyself wholly to him - look to him for support and guidance." Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. "He will accomplish all that thy faith has laid upon him" (Kay). Psalm 37:5

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The lxx erroneously renders גּול ( equals גּל, Psalm 22:9) by ἀποκάλυψον instead of ἐπίῤῥιψον, 1 Peter 5:7 : roll the burden of cares of thy life's way upon Jahve, leave the guidance of thy life entirely to Him, and to Him alone, without doing anything in it thyself: He will gloriously accomplish (all that concerns thee): עשׂה, as in Psalm 22:32; Psalm 52:11; cf. Proverbs 16:3, and Paul Gerhardt's Befiehl du deine Wege, "Commit thou all thy ways," etc. The perfect in Psalm 37:6 is a continuation of the promissory יעשׂה. הוציא, as in Jeremiah 51:10, signifies to set forth: He will bring to light thy misjudged righteousness like the light (the sun, Job 31:26; Job 37:21, and more especially the morning sun, Proverbs 4:18), which breaks through the darkness; and thy down-trodden right (משׁפּטך is the pausal form of the singular beside Mugrash) like the bright light of the noon-day: cf. Isaiah 58:10, as on Psalm 37:4, Isaiah 58:14.