“Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.” -Psalm 37:37–38
The final four verses are a summary of the entire Psalm and focuses on the end of the matter, a frequent theme of wisdom literature. Note the following examples:
““Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”” -Daniel 7:28
“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” -Ecclesiastes 12:13
“We shall say much, and yet shall want words: but the sum of our words is, He is all.” -Sirach 43:29
“For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.” -Proverbs 5:3–4
In first part of this summary, verses 37-38, David focuses on the end of the matter for the blameless and upright in terms of posterity: “There is a future for the man of peace.” What comfort! And whether the Psalmist has eternity in view or not, it is unclear, but we who live on the other side of the resurrection know our future is not just material but eternal with God. What Hope! What joy!
When we witness (or even suffer) the injustice, the blatant disregard for individual freedom, and the indignities against basic human rights committed by the wicked, we must have faith. We must remember our future is bright and the wicked have no kind of future whatsoever—unless of course eternity is in view. In that case, we hardly want to imagine their future.