The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just describe the wicked's actions; it captures their furious impotence. The "gnashing of teeth" isn't just anger, but the desperate, beast-like rage of someone utterly frustrated and powerless to achieve their destructive goals.
The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse appears in Psalm 37, which directly addresses the apparent injustice of the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer. David is speaking to his audience, acknowledging their potential to be discouraged or even envious when they see evildoers thriving and plotting against those who try to live uprightly. The psalm then offers a counter-narrative, assuring believers that God sees all this and will ultimately vindicate the righteous and bring ruin upon the wicked.
Ever feel like the world is angry with you just for trying to do right? This verse paints a vivid picture of that feeling.
This verse isn't just stating a fact; it's describing a feeling and an intent.
Beastly Fury
The imagery here is intense. 'Gnasheth his teeth' isn't a calm, reasoned disagreement. Think of a wild animal, cornered and furious, baring its teeth in sheer, unadulterated rage. This is the kind of anger the wicked have towards the righteous.
Malicious Schemes
It's not just raw anger, though. The word 'plots' (or 'deviseth mischief') points to calculated, cunning plans. The wicked aren't just mad; they're actively scheming to bring harm to those who live uprightly. Their hostility is both emotional and strategic.
This combination of intense, almost animalistic rage and calculated plotting highlights the deep-seated opposition between the ways of the wicked and the ways of God's people.
When the wicked are raging and plotting, where is God? This verse offers a surprising answer.
While Psalm 37:12 vividly portrays the wicked's furious opposition, the surrounding verses (especially 13-15) reveal God's perspective on this very situation.
Divine Laughter
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Instead of immediate intervention or mirroring the wicked's anger, the text says, 'the Lord laughs at him' (Psalm 37:13). This isn't a laugh of amusement at suffering, but a deep, unshakeable confidence. It signifies God's supreme authority and His complete knowledge that the wicked's rage is ultimately futile.
Foreseen Judgment
Why does God laugh? Because 'he sees that his day is coming' (Psalm 37:13). God isn't caught off guard by the wicked's plots. He sees the full scope of time, including their eventual judgment. Their day of success is fleeting, while His justice is eternal.
This offers immense comfort: the righteous don't face their attackers alone. God sees, God knows, and God has the final word.
Understand the original words
rasha · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Those who depart from God's moral standards, living in defiance of His laws and oppressing others. They are characterized by hostility toward God and His people.
tsaddiq · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Those who are in a right relationship with God, characterized by integrity, faithfulness, and living in accordance with His revealed will.
Psalm 37's focus on the wicked plotting against the righteous and God's eventual intervention likely stems from the long-standing conflicts and periods of oppression David and Israel faced throughout their history, from internal strife to external conquest and exile.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David's Reign as King
Psalm 37 is attributed to David, reflecting his experiences as king when he faced opposition from enemies and experienced periods of both distress and divine deliverance.
c. 970-931 BC
Solomon's Reign and Temple Construction
The period following David saw the establishment of Israel as a more stable kingdom under Solomon, with continued prosperity for the righteous but also the seeds of future division.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of the Northern Kingdom
The fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians highlighted the consequences of unfaithfulness and intensified the struggles of the righteous in Judah.
586 BC
Babylonian Exile
The destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the southern kingdom of Judah presented a profound crisis, testing the faith of the people and prompting reflection on divine justice and faithfulness.
This passage describes enemies who 'gnash their teeth' in mockery, mirroring the intense malice and rage depicted in Psalms 37:12.
Job 16:9Job describes his enemy who 'gnashes his teeth upon me,' offering another parallel to the violent, hateful intent of the wicked against the righteous.
Matthew 13:25Jesus speaks of an enemy sowing weeds among the wheat, illustrating how the wicked actively plot and work against the good, a concept echoed in the scheming described in Psalms 37:12.
Acts 7:54Stephen's accusers 'gnashed their teeth' at him, showing a historical and New Testament example of the intense opposition faced by those who stand for righteousness, just as described in this psalm.
calvinPsalms 37:12-15: "The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth."
The wicked plotteth against the righteous, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13. But the Lord [27] shall laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming. 14. The wicked draw their sword, and bend their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay those that are of upright ways. 15. But their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bow shall be broken.
The wicked plotteth…
jfbPsalms 37:12: "The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth."
- gnasheth … teeth—in beastly rage.
The verse doesn't just describe the wicked's actions; it captures their furious impotence. The "gnashing of teeth" isn't just anger, but the desperate, beast-like rage of someone utterly frustrated and powerless to achieve their destructive goals.
This verse appears in Psalm 37, which directly addresses the apparent injustice of the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer. David is speaking to his audience, acknowledging their potential to be discouraged or even envious when they see evildoers thriving and plotting against those who try to live uprightly. The psalm then offers a counter-narrative, assuring believers that God sees all this and will ultimately vindicate the righteous and bring ruin upon the wicked.
This verse appears in Psalm 37, which directly addresses the apparent injustice of the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer. David is speaking to his audience, acknowledging their potential to be discouraged or even envious when they see evildoers thriving and plotting against those who try to live uprightly. The psalm then offers a counter-narrative, assuring believers that God sees all this and will ultimately vindicate the righteous and bring ruin upon the wicked.
"The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him," — The verse doesn't just describe the wicked's actions; it captures their furious impotence. The "gnashing of teeth" isn't just anger, but the desperate, beast-like rage of someone utterly frustrated…
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Last reviewed October 2026