Psalm 37:29
ESV
The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.
NIV
The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
NASB
The righteous will inherit the land And dwell in it forever.
CSB
The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it permanently.
NLT
The godly will possess the land and will live there forever.
KJV
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
NKJV
The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.
What does Psalm 37:29 mean?
Although Israel has not yet possessed all the land God promised to Abraham and his descendants, someday Christ-honoring Jews will dwell securely in that land. God said to Abraham: "To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates" (Genesis 15:18). In Genesis 17:8 he promised Abraham again: "I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession."The time of this possession awaits the second coming of the Messiah to establish His kingdom (Isaiah 9:6–7; Zephaniah 3:14–20). The prophet Micah wrote about the Messiah's kingdom and identified Jerusalem as its capital. He described it as a time of security, when every man will sit under his vine and fig tree, and no one will make him afraid (Micah 4:4). In verse 7 he pictured the Lord reigning from Mount Zion [Jerusalem] over the returnees to the Promised Land.
Psalm 37:21–31 points out the blessings of the righteous. David describes not only their blessings but also their character and conduct. The Lord blesses the righteous with the promise of an inheritance, personal guidance, protection, provision, a good posterity, and His presence.
In this psalm, David contrasts the way God protects and saves His people, contrasted with the ruin which awaits the wicked. Much of this seems to be based on David's own experiences (Psalm 37:25, 35). As with many other passages in Psalms and Proverbs, this passage encourages godly wisdom. Those who reject God and His ways can expect uncertainty on earth and disaster in eternity.
