The Meaning of Psalms 37:28 Explained

Psalms 37:28

KJV: For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

YLT: For Jehovah is loving judgment, And He doth not forsake His saintly ones, To the age they have been kept, And the seed of the wicked is cut off.

Darby: for Jehovah loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: They are preserved for ever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

ASV: For Jehovah loveth justice, And forsaketh not his saints; They are preserved for ever: But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the LORD  loveth  judgment,  and forsaketh  not his saints;  they are preserved  for ever:  but the seed  of the wicked  shall be cut off. 

What does Psalms 37:28 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 37:28 mean?

For Yahweh loves justice and not does forsake - His saints forever they are preserved but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off
כִּ֤י יְהוָ֨ה ׀ אֹ֘הֵ֤ב מִשְׁפָּ֗ט וְלֹא־ יַעֲזֹ֣ב אֶת־ חֲ֭סִידָיו לְעוֹלָ֣ם נִשְׁמָ֑רוּ וְזֶ֖רַע רְשָׁעִ֣ים נִכְרָֽת

יְהוָ֨ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֹ֘הֵ֤ב  loves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
מִשְׁפָּ֗ט  justice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְלֹא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעֲזֹ֣ב  does  forsake 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֲ֭סִידָיו  His  saints 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָסִיד  
Sense: faithful, kind, godly, holy one, saint, pious.
לְעוֹלָ֣ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
נִשְׁמָ֑רוּ  they  are  preserved 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
וְזֶ֖רַע  but  the  descendants 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
רְשָׁעִ֣ים  of  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
נִכְרָֽת  shall  be  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.