Psalm 37 and the Importance of Not Dying in Sin

Psalm 37, particularly verses like 27 and 31, emphasizes the importance of righteous living and perseverance in faith, contrasting the fate of the wicked with that of the upright. The psalm encourages believers not to fret over the prosperity of evildoers but to trust in the Lord and do good ^[1].

Psalm 37:27 states, "Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever" ^[1]. This verse presents a clear imperative for ethical conduct, linking it to a promise of security. Similarly, Psalm 37:31 declares, "The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide" ^[2]. This highlights an internal disposition towards God's law as a safeguard against spiritual failure. The concept of "uprightness" is central to this psalm, described elsewhere as a quality God has pleasure in and which should be present in the heart, speech, and walk of individuals ^[3].

The psalm's message is set against the backdrop of a common human struggle: observing the wicked seemingly prosper while the righteous suffer. However, the psalmist reassures that this prosperity is temporary. "For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be," meaning they will not continue in their flourishing state ^[14]. This perspective aligns with the broader biblical teaching that God's anger is a necessary response to sin, and a decisive outpouring of His wrath is predicted for the end of history ^[11].

The call to "depart from evil" implies a conscious choice to turn away from sinful acts. Sin is understood as the transgression of God's law, originating from the heart and described as rebellion against God ^[7]. While all human beings are born sinners, the godly are distinguished by their fight against their sinful nature, in contrast to the wicked who indulge it ^[8]. Deliberate sins are often characterized by an insolent or arrogant attitude, representing rebellion against God ^[10]. The New Testament further clarifies that "he that committeth sin is of the devil," emphasizing the spiritual origin of persistent sin ^[9].

The idea of "not dying in sin" is implicitly addressed by the psalm's encouragement to live righteously and the promise of divine upholding. While believers may "fall into temptation, and by it into sins," they "shall not be utterly cast down" because they are upheld by the Lord's hand and kept by God's power through faith ^[13]. This contrasts with the fate of those who remain in sin, facing "eternal death," which is described as the miserable fate of the wicked in hell ^[6]. The Scriptures teach that the duration of the penal sufferings of the lost is unending, using the same Greek words that describe the eternal existence of God ^[6].

The concept of pardon is crucial here, as it offers a way out of the condemnation of sin. Pardon is promised and granted by God alone, through Christ and His blood, for the remission of sins ^[4]. This pardon is not achieved through legal sacrifices or outward purifications, but solely through the efficacy of Christ's blood ^[4].

The psalm's exhortation to "do good" and have "the law of his God in his heart" points to a transformed life. This transformation is not merely about avoiding outward acts of sin but cultivating an internal disposition of uprightness ^[3]. The Christian tradition, as articulated by figures like John Calvin, emphasizes that believers should choose to "die a thousand times rather than depart from God by profaning his name," underscoring the gravity of maintaining faith and righteous living ^[12]. The warfare of saints is against the devil, the flesh, and the world, a fight carried out under Christ as their captain ^[5].

Sources

Psalms “Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever. -- Psalms 37:27”
Psalms “The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. -- Psalms 37:31”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Uprightness — God is perfect in -- Isa 26:7. God has pleasure in -- 1Ch 29:17. God created man in -- Ec 7:29. Man has deviated from -- Ec 7:29. Should be in Heart. -- 2Ch 29:34; Ps 125:4. Speech. -- Isa 33:15. Walk. -- Pr 14:2. Judging. -- Ps 58:1; 75:2. Ruling. -- Ps 78:72. The being kept from presumptuous sins is necessary to -- Ps 19:13. With poverty, is better than sin with riches -- Pr 28:6. With poverty, is better than folly -- Pr 19:1. They who walk in Fear God. -- Pr 14:2. Love Christ. -- Song 1:4. Countenanced by God. -- Ps 11:7. Delighted in by God. -- Pr 1”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Pardon — Promised -- Isa 1:18; Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12; Jer 50:20. None without shedding of blood -- Le 17:11; Heb 9:22. Legal sacrifices, ineffectual for -- Heb 10:4. Outward purifications, ineffectual for -- Job 9:30,31; Jer 2:22. The blood of Christ, alone, is efficacious for -- Zec 13:1; 1Jo 1:7. Is granted By God alone. -- Da 9:9; Mr 2:7. By Christ. -- Mr 2:5; Lu 7:48. Through Christ. -- Lu 1:69,77; Ac 5:31; 13:38. Through the blood of Christ. -- Mt 26:28; Ro 3:25; Col 1:14. For the name's sake of Christ. -- 1Jo 2:12. According to the riches of grace. -- Eph 1:7. On”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Warfare of Saints — Is not after the flesh -- 2Co 10:3. Is a good warfare -- 1Ti 1:18,19. Called the good fight of faith -- 1Ti 6:12. Is against The devil. -- Ge 3:15; 2Co 2:11; Eph 6:12; Jas 4:7; 1Pe 5:8; Re 12:17. The flesh. -- Ro 7:23; 1Co 9:25-27; 2Co 12:7; Ga 5:17; 1Pe 2:11. Enemies. -- Ps 38:19; 56:2; 59:3. The world. -- Joh 16:33; 1Jo 5:4,5. Death. -- 1Co 15:26; Heb 2:14,15. Often arises from the opposition of friends or relatives -- Mic 7:6; Mt 10:35,36. To be carried on Under Christ, as our captain. -- Heb 2:10. Under the Lord's banner. -- Ps 60:4. With fait”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Eternal death — The miserable fate of the wicked in hell (Matt. 25:46; Mark 3:29; Heb. 6:2; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 18:8; 25:41; Jude 1:7). The Scripture as clearly teaches the unending duration of the penal sufferings of the lost as the "everlasting life," the "eternal life" of the righteous. The same Greek words in the New Testament (aion, aionios, aidios) are used to express (1) the eternal existence of God (1 Tim. 1:17; Rom. 1:20; 16:26); (2) of Christ (Rev. 1:18); (3) of the Holy Ghost (Heb. 9:14); and (4) the eternal duration of the sufferings of the lost (Matt. 25”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sin — Is the transgression of the law -- 1Jo 3:4. Is of the devil -- 1Jo 3:8; Joh 8:44. All unrighteousness is -- 1Jo 5:17. Omission of what we know to be good is -- Jas 4:17. Whatever is not of faith is -- Ro 14:23. The thought of foolishness is -- Pr 24:9. All the imaginations of the unrenewed heart are -- Ge 6:5; 8:21. Described as Coming from the heart. -- Mt 15:19. The fruit of lust. -- Jas 1:15. The sting of death. -- 1Co 15:56. Rebellion against God. -- De 9:7; Jos 1:18. Works of darkness. -- Eph 5:11. Dead works. -- Heb 6:1; 9:14. The abominable thing that Go”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 14.27: and we need not wonder if we already see it abound in many places in which men call on the name of God. Yet the godly ought not to faint on this account, provided that they support themselves by this consolation, that God never entirely forsakes those who find abundant consolation in the remembrance of his name. But at the same time it is necessary to testify this faith, so as to choose to die a thousand times rather than depart from God by profaning his name; for when any one goes astray through the fear of men, it is certain that he never ”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 37:23: Though he fall,.... Into temptation, and by it into sins, and these very great ones; from a lively and comfortable exercise of grace, and a degree of steadfastness in the doctrine of grace: he shall not be utterly cast down; because he is in the arms of everlasting love, and in the hands of Christ Jesus; is on him as the sure foundation, and is kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, and so shall not perish, but have everlasting life; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand; with the right hand of his righteousness, and keeps him from falling fina”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 37:9: For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be,.... Not that they shall be annihilated or reduced to nothing, because nonentities have no place nor being any where; when they die they shall lift up their eyes in hell; their bodies will rise again at the last day; they shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and go into everlasting punishment; but they shall be no more in the world, and in the same flourishing and prosperous circumstances they were: and this their destruction will be in a short time, very quickly; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his ”

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