Psalm 37:13

 Psalm 37:13

The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

a. ASV: The Lord will laugh at him; For he seeth that his day is coming.[Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: The Lord doth laugh at him, For He hath seen that his day cometh. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: The Lord laughs at [the wicked], for He sees that their own day [of defeat] is coming.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Tehillim/Psalms: But my Lord laughs at him for He sees that his day approaches.  [THE ARTSCROLL TANACH SERIES TEHILLIM / PSALMS PERSONAL SIZE EDITION VOL.1, VOL. II, VOL. III, VOL. IV, VOL. V. Ⓒ Copyright 1977, 1985, 1996 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.]

e. ESV: But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.[Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

1. “The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.”

a. [The] LORD [Strong: 136 ʼĂdônây, ad-o-noy'; an emphatic form of H113; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only):—(my) Lord.]

b. [shall] laugh [at him] [Strong: 7832 sâchaq, saw-khak'; a primitive root; to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to play:—deride, have in derision, laugh, make merry, mock(-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in (make) sport.]

c. for [Strong: 3588 kîy, kee; a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:—and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

d. [he] seeth [Strong: 7200 râʼâh, raw-aw'; a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):—advise self, appear, approve, behold, × certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, × indeed, × joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, × be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), × sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, × surely, × think, view, visions.]

e. that [Strong: 3588 kîy, kee; a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:—and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

f. [his] day [Strong: 3117 yôwm, yome; from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb):—age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, × required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.]

g. [is] coming [Strong: 935 bôwʼ, bo; a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):—abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, × certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, × doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.]

b. Four times in Scripture it mentions that God laughs. In all of those times God is laughing at the wicked: Psalm 2:4; 37:12, 13; 59:5-8; Proverbs 1:26. The most descriptive passage as to why God is laughing at the wicked is in Proverbs 1:24-33. Within these verses I will interject other verses that I believe will shed light on why God would laugh at an individual’s calamity.

1). Psalm 37:12, 13 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

37:13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

2). Psalm 59:5-8 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.

59:6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.

59:7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

3). Proverbs 1:24-30 [ESV] Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,

1:25 Because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,

1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you,

1:27 When terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,     when distress and anguish come upon you.

1:28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

1:29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord,

1:30 Would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,

1:31 [ESV] Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

1:32 For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;