The Meaning of Psalms 37:25 Explained

Psalms 37:25

KJV: I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

YLT: Young I have been, I have also become old, And I have not seen the righteous forsaken, And his seed seeking bread.

Darby: I have been young, and now am old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread:

ASV: I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I have been young,  and [now] am old;  yet have I not seen  the righteous  forsaken,  nor his seed  begging  bread. 

What does Psalms 37:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 37:18-29 - Ways That God Establishes
God takes pleasure in our lives. In each He is working out a plan. Even our failures do not turn Him away from us, for He keeps fast hold of our hands, Psalms 37:24, r.v., margin. Long after His people have passed home, God sees to their children. If they follow in their parents' ways, they are borne along in the stream of providential care; but obviously they may depart from it. What precious promises in Psalms 37:28; Psalms 37:31; Psalms 37:33; Psalms 37:37; Psalms 37:39-40! Never forsaken! Always sure of an Advocate in the Divine Presence! Not left to the mercy of our foes! Safely housed in the time of need! Dying in peace! Such are the blessings which accrue to the servant of God. Such has been the observation of one no longer young, Psalms 37:25.
When taunted, persecuted, maligned, desperate, go into a silent place and lift your tear-stained face to Him. He understands the unspoken language of sighs and tears. Do not hurry Him; He has ages to work in. Wait patiently and rest. [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 37:25 mean?

Young I have been and [now] am old and yet not I have seen the righteous forsaken nor his descendants begging bread
נַ֤עַר ׀ הָיִ֗יתִי גַּם־ זָ֫קַ֥נְתִּי וְֽלֹא־ רָ֭אִיתִי צַדִּ֣יק נֶעֱזָ֑ב וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־ לָֽחֶם

נַ֤עַר ׀  Young 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
הָיִ֗יתִי  I  have  been 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
גַּם־  and  [now] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
זָ֫קַ֥נְתִּי  am  old 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: to be old, become old.
וְֽלֹא־  and  yet  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
רָ֭אִיתִי  I  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
צַדִּ֣יק  the  righteous 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
נֶעֱזָ֑ב  forsaken 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹ  nor  his  descendants 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
מְבַקֶּשׁ־  begging 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
לָֽחֶם  bread 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.