Psalm 37
37
Psalm 37
A psalm of David.
1Don’t be upset because of sinful people.
Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.
2Like grass, they will soon dry up.
Like green plants, they will soon die.
3Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live in the land and enjoy its food.
4Find your delight in the Lord.
Then he will give you everything your heart really wants.
5Commit your life to the Lord.
Here is what he will do if you trust in him.
6He will make the reward for your godly life shine like the dawn.
He will make the proof of your honest life shine like the sun at noon.
7Be still and wait patiently for the Lord to act.
Don’t be upset when other people succeed.
Don’t be upset when they carry out their evil plans.
8Turn away from anger and don’t give in to wrath.
Don’t be upset, because that only leads to evil.
9Sinful people will be destroyed.
But those who put their hope in the Lord will receive the land.
10In a little while, there won’t be any more sinners.
Even if you look for them, you won’t be able to find them.
11But those who are free of pride will be given the land.
They will enjoy peace and success.
12Sinful people make plans to harm those who do what is right.
They grind their teeth at them.
13But the Lord laughs at those who do evil.
He knows the day is coming when he will judge them.
14Sinners pull out their swords.
They bend their bows.
They want to kill poor and needy people.
They plan to murder those who lead honest lives.
15But they will be killed by their own swords.
Their own bows will be broken.
16Those who do what is right may have very little.
But it’s better than the wealth of many sinners.
17The power of those who are evil will be broken.
But the Lord takes good care of those who do what is right.
18Those who are without blame spend their days in the Lord’s care.
What he has given them will last forever.
19When trouble comes to them, they will have what they need.
When there is little food in the land, they will still have plenty.
20But sinful people will die.
The Lord’s enemies may be like flowers in the field.
But they will be swallowed up.
They will disappear like smoke.
21Sinful people borrow and don’t pay back.
But those who are godly give freely to others.
22The Lord will give the land to those he blesses.
But he will destroy those he curses.
23The Lord makes secure the footsteps
of the person who delights in him,
24Even if that person trips, he won’t fall.
The Lord’s hand takes good care of him.
25I once was young, and now I’m old.
But I’ve never seen godly people deserted.
I’ve never seen their children begging for bread.
26The godly are always giving and lending freely.
Their children will be a blessing.
27Turn away from evil and do good.
Then you will live in the land forever.
28The Lord loves those who are honest.
He will not desert those who are faithful to him.
Those who do wrong will be completely destroyed.
The children of sinners will die.
29Those who do what is right will be given the land.
They will live in it forever.
30The mouths of those who do what is right speak words of wisdom.
They say what is honest.
31God’s law is in their hearts.
Their feet do not slip.
32Those who are evil hide and wait for godly people.
They want to kill them.
33But the Lord will not leave the godly in their power.
He will not let them be found guilty when they are brought into court.
34Put your hope in the Lord.
Live as he wants you to.
He will honor you by giving you the land.
When sinners are destroyed, you will see it.
35I saw a mean and sinful person.
He was doing well, like a green tree in its own land.
36But he soon passed away and was gone.
Even though I looked for him, I couldn’t find him.
37Consider honest people who are without blame.
People who seek peace will have a tomorrow.
38But all sinners will be destroyed.
Those who are evil won’t have a tomorrow.
39The Lord saves those who do what is right.
He is their place of safety when trouble comes.
40The Lord helps them and saves them.
He saves them from sinful people
because they go to him for safety.
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Psalm 37: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Psalms 37
37
A Song of Wisdom
Poetic praise by King David # 37 Psalm 37 is an acrostic psalm, in which every other verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
1Don’t follow after the wicked ones or be jealous of their wealth.
Don’t think for a moment they’re better off than you.
2They and their short-lived success
will soon shrivel up and quickly fade away,
like grass clippings in the hot sun.
3Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in his eyes.
Fix your heart on the promises of God, and you will dwell in the land,
feasting on his faithfulness.
4Find your delight # 37:4 The word delight means “to be soft or tender.” and true pleasure in Yahweh,
and he will give you what you desire the most.
5Give # 37:5 The Hebrew word used here can be translated “commit,” which means “to roll over your burdens on the Lord.” God the right to direct your life,
and as you trust him along the way,
you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly!
6He will appear # 37:6 The Hebrew verb found here is also used for giving birth. Perhaps this is a reference to the birth of Christ, our righteousness. as your righteousness,
as sure as the dawning of a new day.
He will manifest as your justice,
as sure and strong as the noonday sun.
7Quiet your heart in his presence
and wait # 37:7 The root word of the word for “wait” can mean “to whirl” or “to be in labor [give birth].” What an unusual concept for waiting on God. We may feel like we’re being whirled around by our circumstances, but in the end, our season of waiting gives birth to greater things. patiently for Yahweh.
And don’t think for a moment that the wicked, in their prosperity,
are better off than you.
8Stay away from anger and revenge.
Keep envy far from you, for it only leads you into lies.
9For one day the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord
will inherit the land.
10Just a little while longer and the ungodly will vanish;
you will look for them in vain.
11But the humble of heart will inherit every promise # 37:11 See Matt. 5:5.
and enjoy abundant peace.
12Let the wicked keep plotting against the godly
with all their sneers and arrogant jeers.
13God laughs at the wicked and their plans,
for he knows their day is coming!
14Evil ones take aim at the poor and helpless;
they are ready to slaughter those who do right.
15But the Lord will turn all their weapons of wickedness back on themselves,
piercing their pride-filled hearts until they are helpless.
16It is much better to have little
combined with much of God
than to have the fabulous wealth of the wicked and nothing else.
17For the Lord takes care of all his forgiven ones
while the strength of evil men will surely slip away.
18Day by day the Lord watches the good deeds of the godly,
and he prepares for them his forever-reward.
19Even in a time of disaster he will watch over them,
and they will always have more than enough
no matter what happens.
20All the enemies of God will perish.
For the wicked have only a momentary value, a fading glory.
Then one day they vanish! Here today, gone tomorrow.
21They break their promises, borrowing money
but never paying it back.
The good man returns what he owes with some extra besides.
22Yahweh’s blessed ones receive the land,
but the cursed ones will be cut off
with nothing to show for themselves.
23When Yahweh delights in how you live your life,
he establishes your every step.
24If they stumble badly they will still survive,
for the Lord lifts them up with his hands.
25I was once inexperienced, # 37:25 Or “immature.” The Hebrew word na’ar has a homonym that means “to be driven out,” which may be a reference to David being driven out of Jerusalem by Absalom. but now I’m old.
Not once have I found a lover of God forsaken by him,
nor have any of their children gone hungry.
26Instead, I’ve found the godly ones
to be the generous ones who give freely to others.
Their children are blessed and become a blessing.
27If you truly want to dwell forever in God’s presence,
forsake evil and do what is right in his eyes.
28The Lord loves it when he sees us walking in his justice.
He will never desert his devoted lovers;
they will be kept forever in his faithful care,
but the descendants of the wicked will be banished.
29The faithful lovers of God will inherit the earth
and enjoy every promise of God’s care,
dwelling in peace forever.
30God-lovers make the best counselors.
Their words possess wisdom and are right and trustworthy.
31The ways of God are in their hearts
and they won’t swerve from the paths of steadfast righteousness.
32Evil ones spy on the godly ones, stalking them
to find something they could use to accuse them.
They’re out for the kill!
33But God will foil all their plots.
The godly will not stand condemned when brought to trial.
34So don’t be impatient for Yahweh to act;
keep moving forward steadily in his ways,
and he will exalt you to possess the land.
You’ll watch with your own eyes
and see the wicked lose everything.
35I’ve already seen this happen.
Once I saw a wicked and violent man
overpower all who were around him,
a domineering tyrant with his prideful and oppressive ways.
36Then he died and was forgotten.
Now no one cares that he is gone forever.
37But you can tell who are the blameless and spiritually mature.
What a different story with them!
The godly ones will have a peaceful, prosperous future
with a happy ending.
38Every evil sinner will be destroyed, obliterated.
They’ll be utter failures with no future!
39But the Lord will be the Savior of all who love him.
Even in their time of trouble, God will live in them as strength.
40Because of their faith in him, their daily portion will be
a Father’s help and deliverance from evil.
This is true for all who turn to hide themselves in him!
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