Question: Psalm 37:6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. What does this mean. Thank you.
Profile: Female, Over 60
Answered by: James Quiggle, who has been a volunteer with us since June, 2017.
Answer: Good morning (in my part of the world) and thanks for coming to Got Questions. You have asked, “What does Psalm 37:6 mean?” Thanks for quoting the verse, it is always helpful to know the Bible version. You are using the New Living Translation (NLT).
I often find it helpful to look at an Old Testament Scripture in the Hebrew text (which you can see here: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/psalms/37-6.htm. The numbers above each word are the Strong’s Concordance reference numbers.) I looked up the definitions of each word, using a Hebrew lexicon (a Hebrew dictionary) and also looked at the Hebrew grammar.
The NLT sometimes paraphrases, just a little, as did its predecessor, the Living Bible. The NLT does this in a good faith attempt to clarify a verse by using more modern expressions. I believe we will be helped by looking at the verse in a more direct translation. “And he will bring forth as the light your righteousness, and your justice as the noon-day.” (This is my translation of the Hebrew text.)
To properly interpret this Scripture, we must consider all the contexts. The first context is the entire Psalm. Why was it written? What is the overall theme or subject of the psalm? The theme may be summarized as “the ungodly seem to prosper, but the godly should wait upon the Lord for his righteousness to be vindicated” (J. J. Stewart Perowne, Psalms). Or we might phrase it as “Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous are afflicted?” (C. H. Spurgeon, Psalms).
The psalm has a proverbial character, presenting a series of contrasts between the ungodly and the righteous. The psalmist tells his readers to wait patiently upon the Lord and look to the different ends of the ungodly and the righteous. The transgressor is judged but the righteous are saved.
The context for verse 6 is verse 5, and together they express one idea in a poetic form. Hebrew poetry is not like English poetry. English poetry depends on rhyme and meter to express a thought. Hebrew poetry uses complementing or contrasting parallel ideas to express a thought. Let us look at 37:1 for an example. I am going to use an older translation, Young’s Literal Translation.
“Do not fret because of evil doers.”
“Be not envious against doers of iniquity.”
The parallel ideas are fret-envious, and evil doers-doers of iniquity. In simpler language, “Do not become frustrated with or envious of the wicked.” Why? See 37:2
“For as grass they are speedily cut off.”
“And as the greenness of the tender grass do fade.”
The parallel ideas are grass-greenness, and cut off-do fade. “Just as the greenness of the grass is fading, even so the wicked will be judged” (judged is the basic meaning of “cut off”).
Now to your question, “What does Psalm 37:6 mean?” Psalm 37:5–6 form the complete thought.
“Commit to YHWH your way and trust in him,
“and he will bring [your way] to pass.”
“And he will bring forth as the light your righteousness,
“and your justice as the noon-day.”
What does it mean? One of the great truths of Scripture is that God responds positively to faith. When there is faith, God opens our mind to understand the Word, our heart to apply the Word, and arranges our path in life to receive his blessings. Trust in the Lord, and he will bring your way—the way of righteousness and blessing—to fruition. Your righteousness will be displayed as clearly as the noon-day sun.
The believer’s blessings are not always in this world. God does provide for our material needs, but God cares more for our spiritual prosperity than our material prosperity. We can example this truth using a few verses. (I will use the NLT.)
1 Timothy 6:6, “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.”
Luke 12:23, “For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.”
1 Timothy 6:8, “So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”
Philippians 4:11, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.”
When we look at Scriptures promising God’s blessings, we should be aware his blessings are not always given in the present world, and are not always material, but more often spiritual. In fact, one of the reasons for troubles in this present world is to improve our spiritual maturity through submission to and dependence upon Christ (e.g., James 1:2–5).
The prosperity of the wicked in this present world, combined with the troubles of the righteous in the world, sometimes makes it seem as if God does not bless the righteous. But the prosperity of the wicked is temporary; their judgment is coming. Their prosperity is in this world only, for it is the only time in their life when they will prosper. But not so the righteous. Their way may be troubled in this present life, but the Lord will show that his saved people are his righteous ones, and he will vindicate their faith to the wicked—if not in the present circumstances, then in the yet-future, when the destiny of the wicked is revealed.
In my interpretation of Psalm 37:5–6, I have added in some doctrine from other parts of Scripture about the eternal destinies of the saved and unsaved. But the direct answer to your question is this: if you commit your life to the Lord, he will not fail you, he will openly vindicate your faith, if not in the here-and-now, then in the yet-future.
C. H. Spurgeon (The Treasury of David, Spurgeon’s commentary on the Psalms) sums up the meaning of 37:5–6.
On 37:5. “The believer does well to leave the whole matter with God: and so to all of us it is truest wisdom, having obediently trusted in God, to leave results in his hands, and expect a blessed issue
[outcome”]
.
On 37:6. “In the matter of personal reputation we may especially be content to be quiet, and leave our vindication with the Judge of the earth. The more we fret in this case, the worse for us. Our strength is to sit still.”
You asked, “What does Psalm 37:6 mean?” Answer: When your path in life is difficult, trust in and wait upon the Lord who will prosper your life and vindicate your cause.
