Wicked Arms

By Hunter Grills

January 13, 2026

Psalm 37:16-17 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

Modern culture praises wealth and prosperity. The desire for riches, power, and success is continually fed through social media and modern influence. While wealth in itself is a good thing when used for the glory of God, more often than not, the desire for wealth is driven by a heart of greed. The Bible says in Psalm 37 that it is better to be a righteous man with little than to be a wicked man with riches. In the text verse, an interesting point is made in verse 17, “For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.”

The wicked will eventually have broken arms and will not be able to hold his wealth. An ungodly man that lives his life driven by greed to manipulate others will eventually lose his ability to hold what he obtained.

On the contrary, the LORD upholdeth the righteous. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:8, “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.”

The point being is that righteousness is better than riches. While wealth and riches are not wicked in themselves, the greedful lust that causes God’s children to stray off course leads to a destination of ungodliness.

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

May God help us to take what He has entrusted to us to use for His honor and His glory.

Proverbs 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

Reflection—Honoring God with the firstfruits is a trusting anticipation that He will bless you with what you need, and more.