Psalms 37:16 (GNV)

Passage

A small thing vnto the iust man is better, then great riches to the wicked and mightie.

Nearby Context

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.

Psalms 37:15 But their sword shall enter into their owne heart, and their bowes shalbe broken.

Psalms 37:16 A small thing vnto the iust man is better, then great riches to the wicked and mightie.

Psalms 37:17 For the armes of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord vpholdeth the iust men.

Psalms 37:18 The Lord knoweth the dayes of vpright men, and their inheritance shall bee perpetuall.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "small", "vnto", "iust", "better", "great", "riches", "wicked", and "mightie". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "small" and "vnto", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "But their sword shall enter into their..." into verse 17's "For the armes of the wicked shall...", so "small" and "vnto" 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 "small" and "vnto" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.