Psalms 37:2 (ASV)

Passage

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, Neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.

Psalms 37:2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.

Psalms 37:3 Trust in Jehovah, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on [his] faithfulness.

Psalms 37:4 Delight thyself also in Jehovah; And he will give thee the desires of thy heart.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shall", "soon", "down", "like", "grass", "wither", "green", and "herb". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shall" and "soon", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "Fret not thyself because of evil-doers Neither..." into verse 3's "Trust in Jehovah and do good Dwell...", so "shall" and "soon" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "shall" and "soon" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.