In Psalm 37, the phrase “inherit the earth” appears more than once. What does it mean that the righteous will inherit the earth?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08

In Psalm 37 (Psalm 36 in the Septuagint/Coptic Agpeya), the phrase "inherit the earth" (or "inherit the land") appears repeatedly (verses 9, 11, 22, 29, and 34). Our Lord Jesus Christ directly quotes verse 11 in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

To understand what it means for the righteous to inherit the earth, Alexandrian patristic exegesis examines the text across three unified levels: historical-typological, spiritual-ascetical, and eschatological.

1. The Typological Level: From Canaan to the Kingdom

Historically, to the Israelites under the Old Covenant, inheriting the land referred to possessing and dwelling securely in the physical Promised Land of Canaan. The wicked, through disobedience and idolatry, were cut off and exiled, while those who trusted God remained rooted in the land.

However, the Alexandrian tradition teaches that the Old Testament types find their true fulfillment in Christ. The physical land of Canaan was merely a shadow. As the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews explains, the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—did not look merely to an earthly territory, but “waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10), desiring “a better, that is, a heavenly country” (Hebrews 11:16).

Therefore, in the New Covenant, the "earth" promised to the righteous is not worldly real estate or political dominance, but the Heavenly Kingdom.

2. The Eschatological Level: The "Land of the Living" and the New Creation

St. Athanasius the Apostolic and other early Fathers interpret this promise as referring to the "land of the living" (Psalm 27:13, Psalm 142:5).

• The Eternal Kingdom: In his commentary on the Psalms, St. Athanasius notes that the physical earth passes away, whereas Psalm 37:29 states that the righteous will “dwell in it forever.” Because no one dwells upon this fallen earth eternally, the promise must refer to the eternal dwelling of the righteous with God.
• The New Creation: Orthodox theology does not teach that physical creation is inherently evil or will simply be vaporized into nothingness. Rather, at the General Resurrection, creation will be liberated from the bondage of corruption (Romans 8:21). God will establish “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1, 2 Peter 3:13). The righteous will receive resurrected, glorified bodies and will inherit a transfigured, renewed creation in the presence of Christ.

3. The Ascetical Level: Mastery Over the "Earthly" Flesh

The Desert Fathers and Alexandrian theologians often interpreted the "earth" (ⲡⲕⲁϩⲓ) allegorically as the human body or the earthly passions:

• Sovereignty Over the Flesh: Man was formed from the dust of the earth. When the righteous person subdues the flesh through fasting, prayer, and vigilance, he "inherits" and governs his body in holiness, rather than being enslaved by carnal desires. The wicked are conquered by their earthly nature; the righteous inherit and rule it through the grace of the Holy Spirit.
• Inner Peace and Freedom: The wicked hoard worldly goods, yet live in fear, envy, and agitation. The meek and righteous, detached from worldly possessiveness, truly possess the earth because they find divine contentment. As St. Paul states: “as having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (2 Corinthians 6:10).

Summary

When Psalm 37 states that the righteous shall inherit the earth, it proclaims that:

1. The earthly power of the wicked is fleeting and ends in destruction.
2. The meek and faithful—those who endure suffering and walk in the commandments of Christ—will inherit the true Promised Land: eternal life, participation in the renewed creation at the Resurrection, and an everlasting share in the Heavenly Kingdom with the saints.