Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 37:24

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.

24. shall not be utterly cast down ] Or, shall not lie prostrate. Cp. Pro 24:16.

upholdeth him with his hand ] Better, as R.V. marg., upholdeth his hand. Cp. Psa 37:17; Isa 41:13; Isa 51:18.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Though he fall – That is, though he is sometimes disappointed; though he is not always successful; though he may be unfortunate – yet this will not be final ruin. The word here does not refer to his falling into sin, but into misfortune, disappointment, reverses, calamities. The image is that of a man who is walking along on a journey, but who stumbles, or fails to the earth – a representation of one who is not always successful, but who finds disappointment spring up in his path.

He shall not be utterly cast down – The word used here – tul – means to throw down at full length, to prostrate; then, to cast out, to throw away. Compare Isa 22:17; Jer 16:13; Jer 22:26; Jon 1:5, Jon 1:15. Here it means that he would not be utterly and finally prostrated; he would not fall so that he could not rise again. The calamity would be temporary, and there would be ultimate prosperity.

For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand – It is by no power of his own that he is recovered, but it is because, even when he falls, he is held up by an invisible hand. God will not suffer him to sink to utter ruin.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Psa 37:24

The Lord upholdeth him with His hand.

Hand in hand with God

The force of this passage is somewhat lost by the rendering of it here. What David says literally is this, Jehovah is holding his hand. His hand is the mans hand–not Gods hand. Read it thus, Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for Jehovah is holding his hand–that is what David means. The mental image in this text is just this. A child has to tread a certain path. That child is weak and timid–he may be reduced by sickness–yet he has to tread a certain path. His father knows that he is weak and timid–he goes with him, and takes his hand. That is the image. The reality is this. Life is that path–the distance between our cradle and our tomb–between the hour of our birth and the hour of our death. The man of God is that child. How real God was to David. One looks sometimes for the reason of this–and I think while it is impossible entirely to account for it, that we must attach some importance to such circumstances as these. Mark Davids early piety. He began to trust that God while he was yet in his teens. The advantage of beginning early no words can express. Hence David had acquired the habit of trust in God. I think, also, we must attach some importance to Davids early sorrows. There is one lesson which can be only learnt by affliction–and that is, to use the things of earth without abusing them. Sorrow throws the man upon God, and obliges him, if he have but a germ of religious life in his nature, to get his rest, and his peace, and his blessedness from God. Then his great sensitiveness was, moreover, brought completely under the power of his religious ideas and his religious principles. That comes out marvellously in the 22nd Psalm: My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? why art Thou so far from helping me? Now, the man who could write that must have lived very near to God. But who is he that lives in such a habit of fellowship with God, that if that fellowship be interrupted–if God in the course of a day say less to the man than He has been accustomed to say, would feel such anguish and grief about it as this cry–My God, my God, why, etc., indicate? And who would do it on a throne? God was a reality to Davids soul: hence he could write such things as these. He could say with reference to every man trusting in God, and delighting in God, Jehovah is holding his hand. David saw it: it was a matter of constant observation to him. Many others did not see it. But he did. Yes, the great Jehovah condescends thus towards us. Thus it is with God. There is real contact. Jehovah is holding his hand. And there is real help–not merely contact. Not the displacement of our effort, or substitution for it, but help. The child walks, is not carried, but its hand is held. So is it with God. He will not do for us what we can do for ourselves. And yet we have deep sense all the while of our own personal weakness. We know that our strength is from God. Now, Jesus Christ has come to us fallen creatures, whose hands have parted from Gods hand, to put our hand again into the grasp of the Almighty Father. (S. Martin.)

The Divine hand

I. It is a strong hand. It balances all worlds, steadies the swinging universe, ordains the march of law, and the succession of events.

II. It is a redeeming hand. It alone wrought salvation.

III. It is a tender hand. It can crush. But when did it ever break the reed? (The Study.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down] The original is short and emphatic ki yippol, lo yutal, which the Chaldee translates, “Though he should fall into sickness, he shall not die;” for which the reason is given, because the Lord sustains by his hand. Though he may for a time fall under the power of his adversaries, as the Jews have done under the Babylonish captivity, he shall not be forsaken. The right hand of God shall sustain him in his afflictions and distresses; and at last God will give him a happy issue out of them all. Neither the text nor any of the Versions intimate that a falling into sin is meant; but a falling into trouble, difficulty, &c.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Fall; either,

1. Into sin, as this word is used, Jer 8:4; 1Co 10:12; or rather,

2. Into distress or trouble, as Mic 7:8.

Not be utterly cast down, i.e. not totally nor irrecoverably ruined.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Though he fall,…. Into temptation, and by it into sins, and these very great ones; from a lively and comfortable exercise of grace, and a degree of steadfastness in the doctrine of grace:

he shall not be utterly cast down; because he is in the arms of everlasting love, and in the hands of Christ Jesus; is on him as the sure foundation, and is kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, and so shall not perish, but have everlasting life;

for the Lord upholdeth [him with] his hand; with the right hand of his righteousness, and keeps him from falling finally and totally; see

Isa 41:10; and

[See comments on Ps 37:17].

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down This verse has generally been interpreted proverbially, and as meaning, that though the righteous may fall into sin, his fall is not deadly; but this is not at all in accordance with the design of the prophet, who is discoursing of the happiness of the godly. The simple meaning is, that when God visits his servants with severe afflictions, he at the same time mitigates them that they may not faint under them; (40) as Paul declares,

“

We are persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”— (2Co 4:9)

Some say that the righteous are not utterly cast down, because they lose not their courage, but rather bear with invincible fortitude whatever burden is laid upon them. I readily admit that the reason why they are not overwhelmed is, that they are not so tender and delicate as to sink under the burden. I, however, understand the words in a more extensive sense, and explain them thus: That the miseries of the godly are so tempered with God’s fatherly mercy, that they fail not under their burden, and even when they fall, sink not into destruction. From these words we learn that the godly, although they serve God sincerely, and study to lead a blameless life, are not suffered to continue unmoved, and always in the same condition, but are often afflicted and cast down by various trials; and that the only difference between them and the unbelieving is, that their falls are not deadly. We know that if God smite the reprobate, though it be but very slightly, it becomes the cause of their final destruction. Solomon speaks still more expressly when he says,

“

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again,” (Pro 24:16,)

and by these words he teaches us, that the godly are not only subjected to frequent afflictions in this life, but that they are visited with daily trials, and yet are never forsaken of the Lord. We must also shortly observe, that even the slightest fall would be enough to destroy us utterly, did not God uphold us by his hand.

(40) “Neither the text,” says Dr Adam Clarke, “nor any of the versions, intimate that a falling into sin is meant; but a falling into trouble, difficulty, ” etc.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

24. Fall cast down The difference between the two words, or states, is that of temporary loss and of utter ruin. Hengstenberg. Pro 24:16

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments