Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 37:34

"Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he will exalt thee to inherit the land: When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it." — Psalms 37:34 (ASV)

Wait on the Lord - See the notes at (Psalms 37:9). Let your hope be from the Lord; depend wholly upon Him; have such confidence in Him as to expect His gracious interposition in your behalf.

And keep his way - Or, walk in the path which He commands. Do not turn from that at any time. Do not allow any temptation, or any opposition, to cause you to swerve from that path.

And he will exalt you to inherit the land - See (Psalms 37:3, Psalms 37:9, Psalms 37:18).

When the wicked are cut off, you will see it - This implies that they would certainly be cut off, and that the righteous would be permitted to see the result of a course of righteousness and one of wickedness.

It is not necessarily implied that they would have any satisfaction in seeing the punishment of the wicked. The meaning, rather, is that they would be permitted to live long enough to observe how one course of life tended to secure the favor of God, while another tended to incur His displeasure. This further implies that there is an advantage in virtue and religion in this life, and the certainty that the righteous will witness this is referred to as a motive for leading a life of piety.

The result is so sure that a person may, if they live long, see it themselves; and this fact should be an inducement for leading a holy life.

The psalmist proceeds, in (Psalms 37:35–36), to illustrate this idea from his own observation.