John Calvin Commentary Psalms 37:19

"They shall not be put to shame in the time of evil; And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied." — Psalms 37:19 (ASV)

They shall not be ashamed in the season of adversity. This verse also shows us that the faithful have no right to expect such exemption from affliction and trial as the flesh would desire, but they are assured of deliverance in the end; which, though it is indeed obtained, is nevertheless of such a nature that it can be realized only by faith.

We must regard these two things as inseparably connected, namely, that as the faithful are mingled among the wicked in this world, so hunger and adversity are common to both. The only difference between them is that God stretches forth his hand toward his own people in their time of need, while he abandons the ungodly and takes no care of them.

If it should be objected that the wicked often fare sumptuously in the time of famine and gratify all their desires, while the faithful are oppressed with poverty and want, I answer that the fullness mentioned here consists chiefly in this: that the faithful, though they live sparingly and often labor hard to acquire the means of subsistence, are nevertheless fed by God as truly as if they had a greater abundance of this world’s goods than the ungodly, who greedily devour the good things of this life in all their variety and abundance, and yet are never satisfied.

Besides, as I have elsewhere said, these temporal blessings are not always seen flowing in one uniform course. The hand of God is indeed always open, but we are constrained and limited in our desires, so that our own unbelief is no small hindrance to his liberality. Moreover, as our corrupt nature would soon break forth into excess, God deals with us more sparingly. Lest he corrupt us by too great indulgence, he trains us to frugality by bestowing with a sparing hand what he was otherwise ready to lavish upon us in full abundance.

And, indeed, whoever considers how addicted we are to sensuality and pleasure will not be surprised that God should discipline his own people with poverty and want. But although God may not bestow upon us what is necessary for our gratification, yet, unless our own ingratitude prevents us, we will experience, even in famine and want, that he nourishes us graciously and liberally.