Psalms 37:10
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
Original Language Analysis
וְע֣וֹד
H5750
וְע֣וֹד
Strong's:
H5750
Word #:
1 of 8
properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more
מְ֭עַט
For yet a little while
H4592
מְ֭עַט
For yet a little while
Strong's:
H4592
Word #:
2 of 8
a little or few (often adverbial or comparative)
וְאֵ֣ין
H369
רָשָׁ֑ע
and the wicked
H7563
רָשָׁ֑ע
and the wicked
Strong's:
H7563
Word #:
4 of 8
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
וְהִתְבּוֹנַ֖נְתָּ
shall not be yea thou shalt diligently consider
H995
וְהִתְבּוֹנַ֖נְתָּ
shall not be yea thou shalt diligently consider
Strong's:
H995
Word #:
5 of 8
to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e., (generally) understand
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
6 of 8
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
Cross References
Job 24:24They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.Psalms 103:16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.1 Peter 4:7But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.Psalms 52:5God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.Job 7:10He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.Psalms 49:10For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.Job 14:10But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?Job 7:21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.2 Kings 9:25Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;
Historical Context
Ancient societies marked social standing by physical location—where one sat, stood, or lived. The wicked's disappearance from their 'place' meant total loss of status and existence.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's 'little while' challenge your impatient desires for immediate justice?
- Have you witnessed the disappearance of once-prominent evildoers? What did you learn?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
The temporal phrase 'yet a little while' relativizes present suffering, promising swift resolution from divine perspective (2 Peter 3:8). The wicked 'shall not be' uses the language of non-existence—not merely defeated but annihilated. The command 'thou shalt diligently consider his place' suggests active investigation of where the wicked stood, finding nothing. This echoes Job 7:10 and Revelation 20:11. The righteous are called to observe this absence, learning that evil's apparent permanence is illusion.