The Meaning of Psalms 37:12 Explained

Psalms 37:12

KJV: The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

YLT: The wicked is devising against the righteous, And gnashing against him his teeth.

Darby: The wicked plotteth against the righteous, and gnasheth his teeth against him.

ASV: The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The wicked  plotteth  against the just,  and gnasheth  upon him with his teeth. 

What does Psalms 37:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 37:1-17 - A Sure Cure For Fretting
This is an acrostic psalm, grappling with the problem of the inequality of human life and the apparent failure of God to reward His servants and punish His enemies as they deserve. Life and immortality, where we know that the balance will be readjusted, had not then been brought to light, and therefore the solution was far harder before the advent of our Lord than for us.
But though the psalmist's solution is therefore not complete, his teaching of the blessedness of absolute trust in God's providence is very delightful. Fret not thyself; that is, do not give way to passionate resentment or bitter disappointment. Live in God; find your delight in contemplating His nature and His works; roll on Him the decision of your life-choices; trust in Him to supply all your need and work in your behalf. Be silent and rest!
How dramatically this picture of the happy, restful child of God is contrasted with the wicked and his certain doom-like barren pastures scorched by heat, or thin smoke-columns vanishing in the air! "Wait and trust! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 37

1  David persuades to patience and confidence in God,
12  by the different estate of the godly and the wicked

What do the individual words in Psalms 37:12 mean?

Plots the wicked against the just and gnashes at him with his teeth
זֹמֵ֣ם רָ֭שָׁע לַצַּדִּ֑יק וְחֹרֵ֖ק עָלָ֣יו שִׁנָּֽיו

זֹמֵ֣ם  Plots 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: זָמַם  
Sense: to have a thought, devise, plan, consider, purpose.
רָ֭שָׁע  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
לַצַּדִּ֑יק  against  the  just 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
וְחֹרֵ֖ק  and  gnashes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָרַק  
Sense: (Qal) to gnash, grind (the teeth).
עָלָ֣יו  at  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שִׁנָּֽיו  with  his  teeth 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁן  
Sense: tooth, ivory.