The Meaning of Psalms 37:18 Explained

Psalms 37:18

KJV: The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

YLT: Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect, And their inheritance is -- to the age.

Darby: Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect; and their inheritance shall be for ever:

ASV: Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect; And their inheritance shall be for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  knoweth  the days  of the upright:  and their inheritance  shall be for ever. 

What does Psalms 37:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 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 37:18 mean?

Knows Yahweh the days of the upright and their inheritance forever shall be
יוֹדֵ֣עַ יְ֭הוָה יְמֵ֣י תְמִימִ֑ם וְ֝נַחֲלָתָ֗ם לְעוֹלָ֥ם תִּהְיֶֽה

יוֹדֵ֣עַ  Knows 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
יְ֭הוָה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יְמֵ֣י  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
תְמִימִ֑ם  of  the  upright 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: תָּמִים  
Sense: complete, whole, entire, sound.
וְ֝נַחֲלָתָ֗ם  and  their  inheritance 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
לְעוֹלָ֥ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
תִּהְיֶֽה  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.