New King James Version
Psalms 37:16
16A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.
Psalms 37:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
- New International Version (NIV)Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
- English Standard Version (ESV)Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.
- New Living Translation (NLT)It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich.
Context of Psalms 37:16
14The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct. 15Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken. A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked. 17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the Lord upholds the righteous. 18The Lord knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.
Read all of Psalms 37Psalms 37:16 word by word
טוֹב־מְ֭עַט לַצַּדִּ֑יק מֵ֝הֲמ֗וֹן רְשָׁעִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 37:16
- Proverbs 3:33The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.
- Proverbs 13:25The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
- Proverbs 15:16Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, Than great treasure with trouble.
- Proverbs 16:8Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice.
- Proverbs 30:9Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.
- Ecclesiastes 2:26For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
- Ecclesiastes 4:6Better a handful with quietness Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
- Matthew 6:11Give us this day our daily bread.
- 1 Timothy 6:6Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
Commentaries on Psalms 37:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16A little that a righteous man hath - This is a solid maxim. Whatever a good man has, has God's blessing in it; even the blessings of the wicked are cursed.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16A little that a righteous man hath - literally, “Good is a little to the righteous, more than,” etc. Our translation, however, has expressed the sense with sufficient accuracy. There are two things implied here: (a) that it happens not unfrequently that the righteous have little of the wealth of this world; and (b) that this little is to them of more real value, accompanied, as it is, with higher blessings, than the more abundant wealth which the wicked…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. 16It is better to be wise with little money than to be rich and evil (Proverbs 15:16; 16:8, 19; 17:1; 28:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. riches--literally, "noise and tumult," as incidental to much wealth (compare Psa 39:6). Thus the contrast with the "little" of one man is more vivid.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 37:16
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries