Psalms 37:12 (GNV)

Passage

The wicked practiseth against the iust, and gnasheth his teeth against him.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:10 Therefore yet a litle while, and the wicked shall not appeare, and thou shalt looke after his place, and he shall not be found.

Psalms 37:11 But meeke men shall possesse the earth, and shall haue their delite in the multitude of peace.

Psalms 37:12 The wicked practiseth against the iust, and gnasheth his teeth against him.

Psalms 37:13 But the Lord shall laugh him to scorne: for he seeth, that his day is comming.

Psalms 37:14 The wicked haue drawen their sworde, and haue bent their bowe, to cast downe the poore and needie, and to slay such as be of vpright conuersation.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wicked", "practiseth", "against", "iust", "gnasheth", and "teeth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wicked" and "practiseth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "But meeke men shall possesse the earth..." into verse 13's "But the Lord shall laugh him to...", so "wicked" and "practiseth" 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 "wicked" and "practiseth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.