Psalms 37:27 (ASV)

Passage

Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell for evermore.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.

Psalms 37:26 All the day long he dealeth graciously, and lendeth; And his seed is blessed.

Psalms 37:27 Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell for evermore.

Psalms 37:28 For Jehovah loveth justice, And forsaketh not his saints; They are preserved for ever: But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

Psalms 37:29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell therein for ever.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "depart", "evil", "good", "dwell", and "evermore". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "depart" and "evil", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 26's "All the day long he dealeth graciously..." into verse 28's "For Jehovah loveth justice And forsaketh not...", so "depart" and "evil" 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 "depart" and "evil" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.