Psalms 37:21 (LSB)

Passage

The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:19 They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

Psalms 37:20 But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of Yahweh will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish—in smoke they vanish away.

Psalms 37:21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

Psalms 37:22 For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

Psalms 37:23 The footsteps of a man are established by Yahweh, And He delights in his way.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wicked", "borrows", "does", "back", "righteous", "gracious", and "gives". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wicked" and "borrows", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "But the wicked will perish And the..." into verse 22's "For those blessed by Him will inherit...", so "wicked" and "borrows" 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 "borrows" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.