John Calvin Commentary Psalms 37:12

"The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth." — Psalms 37:12 (ASV)

The wicked plotteth against the righteous. David here anticipates an objection that might have been raised against the preceding verse. Where, it might be said, can tranquility and joy be found when the wicked are mad with rage, and plot every kind of mischief against the children of God?

And how shall those cherish good hope for the future who see themselves surrounded by innumerable sources of death? David therefore replies that although the life of the godly may be assailed by many dangers, yet they are secure in the aid and protection of God; and that however much the wicked may plot against them, they will be continually preserved.

Thus, David’s design is to counteract our fears, so that the malice of the ungodly does not terrify us excessively, as if they had the power to do with us as they please. He indeed confesses that they are not only full of fraud, and expert in deceiving, but also that they burn with anger, and a raging desire of doing mischief, when He says, that they plot mischief deceitfully against the righteous, and gnash upon them with their teeth. But after making this statement, He immediately adds that their endeavors will be futile.

Yet He seems to provide very coldly for our consolation under sorrow, for He represents God as merely laughing. But if God highly values our salvation, why does He not set Himself to resist the fury of our enemies, and vigorously oppose them? We know that this, as has been said in Psalm 2:4, is a proper trial of our patience, when God does not come forward at once, armed for the defeat of the ungodly, but delays His intervention for a time and withholds His hand.

But as the eye of sense, in such circumstances, judges that He delays His coming too long, and from that delay concludes that He is resting idly and takes no interest in human affairs, it is no small consolation to be able, by the eye of faith, to behold Him laughing.

For then we are assured that He is not seated idly in heaven, nor does He close His eyes, resigning the government of the world to chance. Instead, He purposely delays and keeps silent because He despises their vanity and folly.

And so that our flesh does not still murmur and complain, demanding why God only laughs at the wicked and does not rather take vengeance on them, the reason is added: He sees the day of their destruction at hand: For he seeth that his day is coming.

Why is it that the injuries we sustain from human wickedness so trouble us, if not because, when we do not obtain prompt relief, we begin to despair of ever seeing a better state of things?

But one who sees the executioner standing behind the aggressor with a drawn sword no longer desires revenge, but rather rejoices in the prospect of swift retribution. David, therefore, teaches us that it is not fitting that God, who sees the destruction of the wicked to be at hand, should rage and fret as humans do.

An implicit distinction is therefore made here between God and humans. Humans, amid the troubles and confusions of the world, do not see the day of the wicked’s downfall approaching; oppressed by cares and fears, they cannot laugh. Instead, because vengeance is delayed, they become so impatient that they murmur and fret.

It is not enough, however, for us to know that God acts in a manner altogether different from us, unless we learn to weep patiently while He laughs, so that our tears may be a sacrifice of obedience.

In the meantime, let us pray that He would enlighten us by His light. For only by this means, by beholding His laughter with the eye of faith, will we become partakers of it, even in the midst of sorrow.

Some, indeed, interpret these two verses differently, as if David meant to say that the faithful live so happily that the wicked envy them. But the reader will now perceive that this is far from the prophet’s intention.