Psalms 37:21

“Thou hast rebuked the proud, etc.] Which some understand of the fallen angels, who, in proud wrath, left their habitations, because they would not be subject to the Son of God in human nature; wherefore he scattered them in the imaginations of their hearts, and cast down these mighty ones into hell, where they are reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day. Others of the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ’s time, this psalm being suited, as is thought, to Gospel times; who were proud of their own righteousness, and despised others less holy than themselves; and submitted not to the righteousness of Christ, whom he often rebuked, and at last punished. Rather all proud…”

“payeth not--not able; having grown poor (compare Deu 15:7). Ability of the one and inability of the other do not exclude moral dispositions. God's blessing or cursing makes the difference.”

“The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again - This is probably intended here, not so much to describe the “character” as the “condition” of the wicked. The idea is, that he will be in such a condition of want that he will be under a necessity of borrowing, but will not have the means of repaying what he has borrowed, while the righteous will not only have enough for himself, but will have the means of showing mercy to others, and of “giving” to them what they need. The ability to lend to others is referred to as a part of the promise of God to his people, and as marking their condition as a prosperous one, in Deuteronomy 15:6 : “And thou shalt lend unto many nations, and shalt not borrow.”…”

“37:21 To borrow and never repay is a behavior of a crooked lifestyle. • Generous givers freely share what they freely receive from the Lord (see 111:5; 112:5).”

“borroweth: Deu 28:12, Deu 28:43, Deu 28:44; Kg2 4:1-5; Neh 5:1-5; Pro 22:7 righteous: Psa 112:5, Psa 112:9; Deu 15:9-11; Job 31:16-20; Isa 32:8, Isa 58:7-10; Luk 6:30; Act 11:29, Act 20:35; Co2 8:9, Co2 9:6-15; Heb 6:10, Heb 13:16 Psalms 37:22”

“It is the promise expressed in Deu 15:6; Deu 28:12, Deu 28:44, which is rendered in Psa 37:21 in the more universal, sententious form. לוה signifies to be bound or under obligation to any one = to borrow and to owe (nexum esse). The confirmation of Psa 37:22 is not inappropriate (as Hitzig considers it, who places Psa 37:22 after Psa 37:20): in that ever deeper downfall of the ungodly, and in that charitableness of the righteous, which becomes more and more easy to him by reason of his prosperity, the curse and blessing of God, which shall be revealed in the end of the earthly lot of both the righteous and the ungodly, are even now foretold. Whilst those who reject the blessing of God are…”