Psalms 37:38 (LSB)

Passage

But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:36 Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.

Psalms 37:37 Observe the blameless man, and behold the upright; For the man of peace will have a posterity.

Psalms 37:38 But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

Psalms 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh; He is their strength in time of distress.

Psalms 37:40 Yahweh helps them and protects them; He protects them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "transgressors", "altogether", "destroyed", "posterity", and "wicked". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "transgressors" and "altogether", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 37's "Observe the blameless man and behold the..." into verse 39's "But the salvation of the righteous is...", so "transgressors" and "altogether" 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 "transgressors" and "altogether" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.