I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist isn't just describing a powerful, thriving individual, but specifically highlights that this prosperity is like a "native tree." This points to someone who has deeply rooted himself in his current circumstances, growing strong and seemingly secure right where he is, making his eventual downfall even more striking.
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist reflects on a lifetime of observation, confirming God's justice despite the apparent success of the wicked. He's witnessed powerful, ruthless individuals who seem to thrive like deeply rooted, flourishing trees, giving an impression of permanence and security. This image, however, sets the stage for the stark contrast in the following verse, revealing the transience of their prosperity.
Have you ever seen someone seemingly powerful and untouchable, thriving despite their wrongdoings? This verse paints a vivid picture of such a person.
The psalmist uses strong words to describe the wicked individual: "terrible" (or "formidable," "violent") and "spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil."
That flourishing green tree... it looks so stable, so permanent. But what if that image is hiding a fundamental truth about its end?
The striking imagery of the flourishing tree is a setup for a powerful contrast. While the wicked may appear to be deeply rooted and eternally secure, their apparent permanence is an illusion. The psalmist's observation isn't just about their current state, but about the certainty of their future.
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The imagery of the wicked flourishing like a well-rooted tree likely resonated deeply with an audience who had witnessed the collapse of their nation and the apparent stability of oppressive foreign powers, finding comfort in the assurance of ultimate divine justice.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's First Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon begins his reign and initiates deportations of Jewish captives to Babylon, beginning a period of exile.
c. 587-586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Temple
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and deport more of the population, marking a devastating blow to the Judean kingdom.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, leading to the eventual decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem.
c. 520 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
Under Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, the foundation of the Second Temple is laid, and work resumes after delays.
c. 400-300 BC— this verse
Likely Composition of Psalm 37
The psalm is likely composed during or after the Babylonian exile, reflecting on the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the eventual vindication of the righteous.
This passage describes Nebuchadnezzar's vision of a great tree, mirroring the imagery of flourishing power that is ultimately cut down, a powerful parallel to the wicked man's apparent stability.
Job 5:3Job contrasts the temporary flourishing of the wicked with the ultimate ruin they face, aligning with the Psalmist's observation of the wicked's seemingly stable yet ultimately doomed prosperity.
Jeremiah 12:1-2Jeremiah questions God's justice because the wicked prosper and spread, which directly echoes the Psalmist's observation and underlying perplexity in Psalm 37.
Matthew 13:24-30Jesus' parable of the wheat and the weeds illustrates how both righteous and wicked grow together, highlighting the tension between outward appearance and God's ultimate judgment, relevant to the Psalmist's observation of the wicked's flourishing.
Galatians 6:7-8This passage speaks of sowing to the flesh versus sowing to the Spirit, providing a clear thematic contrast to the fleeting 'growth' of the wicked described in Psalm 37:35, which is ultimately based on self-interest rather than righteousness.
clarkePsalms 37:35: "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree."
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree - Does not this refer to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and to the vision he had of the great tree which was in the midst of the earth, the head of which reached up to heaven? See Daniel 4:10 , etc.
barnesPsalms 37:35: "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree."
I have seen - I have had an opportunity, in my long life Psalm 37:25 , of witnessing the accuracy of the statement just made, that a righteous man may live to see a confirmation of the truth that wickedness, however prosperous the wicked man may be, will lead to ultimate ruin - as I have had an opportunity of seeing Psalm 37:25-26 the effect of a course of righteousness on the ultimate prosperity…
The psalmist isn't just describing a powerful, thriving individual, but specifically highlights that this prosperity is like a "native tree." This points to someone who has deeply rooted himself in his current circumstances, growing strong and seemingly secure right where he is, making his eventual downfall even more striking.
The psalmist reflects on a lifetime of observation, confirming God's justice despite the apparent success of the wicked. He's witnessed powerful, ruthless individuals who seem to thrive like deeply rooted, flourishing trees, giving an impression of permanence and security. This image, however, sets the stage for the stark contrast in the following verse, revealing the transience of their prosperity.
The psalmist reflects on a lifetime of observation, confirming God's justice despite the apparent success of the wicked. He's witnessed powerful, ruthless individuals who seem to thrive like deeply rooted, flourishing trees, giving an impression of permanence and security. This image, however, sets the stage for the stark contrast in the following verse, revealing the transience of their prosperity.
"I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree." — The psalmist isn't just describing a powerful, thriving individual, but specifically highlights that this prosperity is like a "native tree." This points to someone who has deeply rooted himself in h…
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Last reviewed October 2026