Bird's-eye view
In this brief but potent snapshot from his larger meditation on the problem of evil, David presents a common and troubling observation, only to immediately resolve it with the finality of God's judgment. He shows us the wicked man in full bloom, a picture of terrifying success and apparent permanence, like a great, ancient tree dominating the landscape. This is the reality that tempts the righteous to envy and despair. But in the very next breath, David shows us the "after" picture: the space where the tree stood is now empty. The tyrant is not just dead, but utterly gone, his influence and memory erased from the earth. This passage is a miniature parable, teaching the saints to see with the eyes of faith, to look past the fleeting present and to understand that the prosperity of the wicked is a fragile illusion, a puff of smoke that God will blow away in His own good time.
The core lesson is one of perspective. God does not call us to deny the reality of what we see, the wicked really do prosper for a time. He calls us to interpret what we see in light of what He has revealed. The wicked man's story is a short one, with a sudden and inglorious end. The righteous, as the rest of the psalm makes clear, have an inheritance that is eternal. These two verses are therefore a profound encouragement to trust in the Lord and wait patiently for Him, for His justice is as certain as the sunrise, and the fall of the arrogant is as sure as gravity.
Outline
- 1. The Tyrant in His Fleeting Glory (Ps 37:35-36)
- a. The Observation: A Wicked Man Flourishing (Ps 37:35)
- b. The Outcome: A Wicked Man Vanishing (Ps 37:36)
Context In Psalm 37
Psalm 37 is an acrostic psalm, a wisdom psalm designed to instruct the people of God on how to live faithfully in a world where the wicked often seem to have the upper hand. The refrain of the entire psalm is "Fret not thyself because of evildoers" (vv. 1, 7, 8). David systematically dismantles the reasons one might be tempted to envy or fear the wicked by contrasting their temporary success with their ultimate destruction, and contrasting the temporary struggles of the righteous with their ultimate, secure inheritance. Our passage, verses 35-36, serves as a vivid, real-world illustration of this central theme. It is David the eyewitness, the experienced king who has seen men rise and fall, testifying to the truth he has been teaching throughout the psalm. It is the observable proof that God's promises are true: the wicked will be cut off, and those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land.
Key Issues
- The Problem of Prospering Wickedness
- The Temporal Nature of Worldly Success
- God's Judgment in History
- The Importance of an Eternal Perspective
- The Metaphor of the Flourishing Tree
The Green Bay Tree
The central image here is that of a great, green, spreading tree. The King James Version famously renders it as a "green bay tree," which has entered the language as a symbol of robust, arrogant prosperity. The Hebrew is more general, suggesting a native, indigenous tree, one that is not transplanted but is growing in its own soil where it is perfectly at home, strong, and seemingly immovable. This is a picture of the ungodly man who is perfectly at home in a fallen world. He understands its systems, he thrives in its corruption, and he spreads his branches out, dominating everything around him. He is not just successful; he is a tyrant. The word for "wicked" here is often translated as "ruthless" or "terrible." This is the man who gets what he wants through intimidation and force. David is not talking about a petty sinner; he is describing a titan of industry, a political strongman, a cultural bully. He is describing exactly the kind of person the world admires and the righteous are tempted to fear. And David says, "I have seen him." This is not a theoretical problem. It is a real one.
Verse by Verse Commentary
35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.
David begins with his own testimony, "I have seen." This is not hearsay or abstract theology. This is the observation of a man who has lived a long life and has watched the rise and fall of many powerful men, not least of whom was his predecessor, Saul. He sees a wicked, ruthless man. The Hebrew word is arits, which means a terrifying one, a tyrant. This is the kind of man who makes others tremble. And what is this man doing? He is "spreading himself." This is a picture of expansive, arrogant power. He takes up all the space, all the light, all the resources. He is not content with his own place; he must dominate the entire landscape. The simile that follows is perfect. He is like a great, green, native tree. He seems permanent. He seems to have been there forever and will be there forever. He is deeply rooted in his native soil, which is the soil of this fallen world. He is perfectly adapted to it, and he flourishes in it. This is the man who is on the cover of magazines, the man who wields immense power, the man who seems utterly untouchable.
36 Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.
The transition is abrupt and shocking. The Hebrew begins with a simple "And he passed by." One moment, the great tree fills the entire horizon. The next moment, the wind of God's judgment blows, and he is gone. The word "behold" invites us to share in the psalmist's surprise. Look! The space is empty. The tyrant who seemed so permanent has vanished. But David takes it a step further. It is not just that the man is dead. His entire legacy is erased. "I sought for him, but he could not be found." His name, his power, his company, his monuments, all the things he built to make his name great, have come to nothing. He leaves no lasting trace, no righteous legacy. He is like a sandcastle on the beach, impressive for an hour, but washed away completely by the tide of God's judgment. This is the end of every man who builds his life on anything other than the rock of Jesus Christ. His prosperity is a mirage, and his end is oblivion.
Application
The application for us is straightforward, though difficult to live out. We are commanded not to fret or be envious when we see the wicked prosper. We live in a world that celebrates the ruthless man. Our magazines, our movies, our political systems are filled with people "spreading themselves" like great trees. And we are tempted to think that their way is the way to success, that ruthlessness and compromise are the keys to a flourishing life.
This psalm tells us to look again, and to see with the eyes of faith. That great tree has no future. God has already pronounced its doom. The man who builds his life on his own strength is a fool, and his end is nothingness. Our calling is to be like a different kind of tree, the one described in Psalm 1, a tree planted by rivers of water, drawing its life from the Word of God. That tree's leaf does not wither, and it bears fruit in its season. Its prosperity is real and its legacy is eternal.
Therefore, do not envy the man whose success is rooted in this world. His roots are shallow, and the day is coming when God will simply pluck him up and toss him into the fire. Instead, root yourself in the gospel. Find your security not in your own strength, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ, who endured the ultimate curse of being "cut off" so that we, grafted into Him, might have everlasting life. He is the only man whose legacy endures, and it is only by being found in Him that our lives will leave any trace of lasting good in the world.