Psalms 37:36 (ASV)

Passage

But one passed by, and, lo, he was not: Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:34 Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he will exalt thee to inherit the land: When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

Psalms 37:35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

Psalms 37:36 But one passed by, and, lo, he was not: Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

Psalms 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; For there is a [happy] end to the man of peace.

Psalms 37:38 As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together; The end of the wicked shall be cut off.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "passed", "sought", and "found". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "passed" and "sought", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 35's "I have seen the wicked in great..." into verse 37's "Mark the perfect man and behold the...", so "passed" and "sought" 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 "passed" and "sought" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.