Psalms 37:35 (KJV)

Passage

I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Psalms 37:34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall 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 bay tree.

Psalms 37:36 Yet he passed away, 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 the end of that man is peace.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "seen", "wicked", "great", "power", "spreading", "himself", "like", and "green". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "seen" and "wicked", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 34's "Wait on the LORD and keep his..." into verse 36's "Yet he passed away and lo he...", so "seen" and "wicked" 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 "seen" and "wicked" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.