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Selected Verse: Psalms 37:35 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 37:35	Strong Concordance	I have seen [07200] the wicked [07563] in great power [06184], and spreading [06168] himself like a green [07488] bay tree [0249].
	King James	I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
of which a picture is given, under the figure of a flourishing tree (compare Margin), which soon withers.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

of which a picture is given, under the figure of a flourishing tree (compare Margin), which soon withers.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
I have seen - I have had an opportunity, in my long life Psa 37:25, of witnessing the accuracy of the statement just made, that a righteous man may live to see a confirmation of the truth that wickedness, however prosperous the wicked man may be, will lead to ultimate ruin - as I have had an opportunity of seeing Psa 37:25-26 the effect of a course of righteousness on the ultimate prosperity and happiness of its possessor. The same experience, with the same result, is referred to in Job 5:3. In great power - The word used here - עריץ ‛ârı̂yts - means properly "terrible; inspiring terror." It is applied to God in Jer 20:11; and to powerful nations, Isa 25:3. It is also used in a bad sense, as denoting violent, fierce, lawless, or a tyrant, Isa 13:11; Isa 25:4-5; Job 15:20; Job 27:13. Here it may be used in the sense of one who was prosperous and mighty, and as referring to a man who wielded vast power; but there is connected with that also, undoubtedly, the idea that that power was wielded, not for purposes of benevolence, but for injustice, oppression, and wrong. It was a "wicked" man that was thus powerful. And spreading himself - The word used here means properly to be naked; to make naked; to empty; then, to pour oneself out; and then, to spread oneself abroad. It is applied here to a tree that seems to pour itself out, or to spread itself out in every direction - sending its limbs aloft, and its branches far on every side. Like a green bay tree - Margin: "a green tree that groweth in its own soil." The "bay tree" is a species of laurel, but there is no evidence that the original word here refers particularly to this, or specifically to any other tree. The original word אזרח 'ezrâch - is derived from זרח zârach, to rise; and then, to spring up as a plant does, and it properly means here, as expressed in the margin, "a native tree;" that is, a tree that grows in its own soil, or that has not been transplanted. Then, also, it comes to denote a native; one born in the country, not a foreigner: Lev 16:29; Lev 18:26, et al. The idea here is that a tree which thus remains in its own soil is more vigorous, and will attain to a larger growth, than one which is transplanted; and thus the figure becomes an emblem of a prosperous and mighty man. "Perhaps," also, there is included here, respecting the man, the idea that he has grown up where he is; that he has not been driven from place to place; that he has had uniform prosperity; that on the very soil which gave him birth he has risen to rank, to wealth, to power. His life has been spent in tranquil scenes, where everything seemed to be stable and secure; what his end will be, the psalmist states in the next verse.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

I have seen - I have had an opportunity, in my long life Psa 37:25, of witnessing the accuracy of the statement just made, that a righteous man may live to see a confirmation of the truth that wickedness, however prosperous the wicked man may be, will lead to ultimate ruin - as I have had an opportunity of seeing Psa 37:25-26 the effect of a course of righteousness on the ultimate prosperity and happiness of its possessor. The same experience, with the same result, is referred to in Job 5:3.

In great power - The word used here - עריץ ‛ârı̂yts - means properly "terrible; inspiring terror." It is applied to God in Jer 20:11; and to powerful nations, Isa 25:3. It is also used in a bad sense, as denoting violent, fierce, lawless, or a tyrant, Isa 13:11; Isa 25:4-5; Job 15:20; Job 27:13. Here it may be used in the sense of one who was prosperous and mighty, and as referring to a man who wielded vast power; but there is connected with that also, undoubtedly, the idea that that power was wielded, not for purposes of benevolence, but for injustice, oppression, and wrong. It was a "wicked" man that was thus powerful.

And spreading himself - The word used here means properly to be naked; to make naked; to empty; then, to pour oneself out; and then, to spread oneself abroad. It is applied here to a tree that seems to pour itself out, or to spread itself out in every direction - sending its limbs aloft, and its branches far on every side.

Like a green bay tree - Margin: "a green tree that groweth in its own soil." The "bay tree" is a species of laurel, but there is no evidence that the original word here refers particularly to this, or specifically to any other tree. The original word אזרח 'ezrâch - is derived from זרח zârach, to rise; and then, to spring up as a plant does, and it properly means here, as expressed in the margin, "a native tree;" that is, a tree that grows in its own soil, or that has not been transplanted. Then, also, it comes to denote a native; one born in the country, not a foreigner: Lev 16:29; Lev 18:26, et al. The idea here is that a tree which thus remains in its own soil is more vigorous, and will attain to a larger growth, than one which is transplanted; and thus the figure becomes an emblem of a prosperous and mighty man. "Perhaps," also, there is included here, respecting the man, the idea that he has grown up where he is; that he has not been driven from place to place; that he has had uniform prosperity; that on the very soil which gave him birth he has risen to rank, to wealth, to power. His life has been spent in tranquil scenes, where everything seemed to be stable and secure; what his end will be, the psalmist states in the next verse.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
עריץ (after the form צדּיק) is coupled with רשׁע, must as these two words alternate in Job 15:20 : a terror-inspiring, tyrannical evil-doer; cf. besides also Job 5:3. The participle in Psa 37:35 forms a clause by itself: et se diffundens, scil. erat. The lxx and Jerome translate as though it were כארז הלבנן, "like the cedars of Lebanon," instead of כאזרח רענן. But אזרח רענן is the expression for an oak, terebinth, or the like, that has brown from time immemorial in its native soil, and has in the course of centuries attained a gigantic size in the stem, and a wide-spreading overhanging head. ויּעבר does not mean: then he vanished away (Hupfeld and others); for עבר in this sense is not suitable to a tree. Luther correctly renders it: man ging vor׬ber, one (they) passed by, Ges. ֗137, 3. The lxx, Syriac, and others, by way of lightening the difficulty, render it: then I passed by.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Bay - tree - Which is continually green and flourishing even in winter.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree - Does not this refer to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and to the vision he had of the great tree which was in the midst of the earth, the head of which reached up to heaven? See Dan 4:10, etc.

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²⁶ Ye shall therefore keep [08104] my statutes [02708] and my judgments [04941], and shall not commit [06213] any of these abominations [08441]; neither any of your own nation [0249], nor any stranger [01616] that sojourneth [01481] among [08432] you:

²⁹ And this shall be a statute [02708] for ever [05769] unto you: that in the seventh [07637] month [02320], on the tenth [06218] day of the month [02320], ye shall afflict [06031] your souls [05315], and do [06213] no work [04399] at all, whether it be one of your own country [0249], or a stranger [01616] that sojourneth [01481] among [08432] you:

¹³ This is the portion [02506] of a wicked [07563] man [0120] with God [0410], and the heritage [05159] of oppressors [06184], which they shall receive [03947] of the Almighty [07706].

²⁰ The wicked [07563] man travaileth [02342] with pain all his days [03117], and the number [04557] of years [08141] is hidden [06845] to the oppressor [06184].

⁴ For thou hast been a strength [04581] to the poor [01800], a strength [04581] to the needy [034] in his distress [06862], a refuge [04268] from the storm [02230], a shadow [06738] from the heat [02721], when the blast [07307] of the terrible ones [06184] is as a storm [02230] against the wall [07023].
⁵ Thou shalt bring down [03665] the noise [07588] of strangers [02114], as the heat [02721] in a dry place [06724]; even the heat [02721] with the shadow [06738] of a cloud [05645]: the branch [02159] of the terrible ones [06184] shall be brought low [06030].

¹¹ And I will punish [06485] the world [08398] for their evil [07451], and the wicked [07563] for their iniquity [05771]; and I will cause the arrogancy [01347] of the proud [02086] to cease [07673], and will lay low [08213] the haughtiness [01346] of the terrible [06184].

³ Therefore shall the strong [05794] people [05971] glorify [03513] thee, the city [07151] of the terrible [06184] nations [01471] shall fear [03372] thee.

¹¹ But the LORD [03068] is with me as a mighty [01368] terrible one [06184]: therefore my persecutors [07291] shall stumble [03782], and they shall not prevail [03201]: they shall be greatly [03966] ashamed [0954]; for they shall not prosper [07919]: their everlasting [05769] confusion [03639] shall never be forgotten [07911].

³ I have seen [07200] the foolish [0191] taking root [08327]: but suddenly [06597] I cursed [05344] his habitation [05116].

²⁵ I have been young [05288], and now am old [02204]; yet have I not seen [07200] the righteous [06662] forsaken [05800], nor his seed [02233] begging [01245] bread [03899].
²⁶ He is ever [03117] merciful [02603], and lendeth [03867]; and his seed [02233] is blessed [01293].

²⁵ I have been young [05288], and now am old [02204]; yet have I not seen [07200] the righteous [06662] forsaken [05800], nor his seed [02233] begging [01245] bread [03899].

³⁵ I have seen [07200] the wicked [07563] in great power [06184], and spreading [06168] himself like a green [07488] bay tree [0249].

³ I have seen [07200] the foolish [0191] taking root [08327]: but suddenly [06597] I cursed [05344] his habitation [05116].

²⁰ The wicked [07563] man travaileth [02342] with pain all his days [03117], and the number [04557] of years [08141] is hidden [06845] to the oppressor [06184].

¹⁰ Thus were the visions [02376] of mine head [07217] in [05922] my bed [04903]; I saw [01934] [02370], and behold [0431] a tree [0363] in the midst [01459] of the earth [0772], and the height [07314] thereof was great [07690].