Christian Standard Bible
Psalms 37:8
8Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated — it can only bring harm.
Psalms 37:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
- New International Version (NIV)Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.
Context of Psalms 37:8
6making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday. 7Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the person who carries out evil plans. Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated — it can only bring harm. 9For evildoers will be destroyed, but those who put their hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10A little while, and the wicked person will be no more; though you look for him, he will not be there.
Read all of Psalms 37Psalms 37:8 word by word
הֶ֣רֶף מֵ֭אַף וַעֲזֹ֣ב חֵמָ֑ה אַל־תִּ֝תְחַ֗ר אַךְ־לְהָרֵֽעַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 37:8
- Job 5:2For anger kills a fool, and jealousy slays the gullible.
- Job 18:4You who tear yourself in anger — should the earth be abandoned on your account, or a rock be removed from its place?
- Proverbs 14:29A patient person shows great understanding, but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.
- Proverbs 16:32Patience is better than power, and controlling one’s emotions, than capturing a city.
- Ephesians 4:26Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,
- James 1:19My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- James 3:14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth.
- Psalms 31:22In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the sound of my pleading when I cried to you for help.
- Psalms 73:15If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed your people.
- Psalms 116:11In my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.”
- 1 Samuel 25:21David had just said, “I guarded everything that belonged to this man in the wilderness for nothing. He was not missing anything, yet he paid me back evil for good.
- Jeremiah 20:14May the day I was born be cursed. May the day my mother bore me never be blessed.
- Jonah 4:1Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious.
- Luke 9:54When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”
Commentaries on Psalms 37:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Cease from anger - That is, in reference to the fact that there are wicked people, and that they are permitted to carry out their plans. Do not allow your mind to be excited with envious, fretful, wrathful, or murmuring feelings against God because he bears patiently with them, and because they are allowed a temporary prosperity and triumph. Be calm, whatever may be the wickedness of the world. The supreme direction belongs to God, and he will dispose of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-20Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Irritability and anger can quickly damage a person’s character. When someone becomes easily upset or angry, it affects the way that person thinks and acts. Over time, this can weaken good habits and harm relationships. Learning patience and self-control helps protect and strengthen character.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-87-8. Rest in--literally, "Be silent to the Lord." and wait--Be submissive--avoid petulance and murmurings, anger and rash doing.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 37:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 37
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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