Psalms 37
37
PSALM 37
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
A Psalm of David.
1For evil-doers fret thou not
thyself unquietly;
Nor do thou envy bear to those
that work iniquity.
2For, even like unto the grass,
soon be cut down shall they;
And, like the green and tender herb,
they wither shall away.
3Set thou thy trust upon the Lord,
and be thou doing good;
And so thou in the land shalt dwell,
and verily have food.
4Delight thyself in God; he'll give
thine heart's desire to thee.
5Thy way to God commit, him trust,
it bring to pass shall he.
6And, like unto the light, he shall
thy righteousness display;
And he thy judgment shall bring forth
like noon-tide of the day.
7Rest in the Lord, and patiently
wait for him: do not fref
For him who, prosp'ring in his way,
success in sin doth get.
8Do thou from anger cease, and wrath
see thou forsake also:
Fret not thyself in any wise,
that evil thou should'st do.
9For those that evil doers are
shall be cut off and fall:
But those that wait upon the Lord
the earth inherit shall.
10For yet a little while, and then
the wicked shall not be;
His place thou shalt consider well,
but it thou shalt not see.
11But by inheritance the earth
the meek ones shall possess:
They also shall delight themselves
in an abundant peace.
12The wicked plots against the just,
and at him whets his teeth:
13The Lord shall laugh at him, because
his day he coming seeth.
14The wicked have drawn out the sword,
and bent their bow, to slay
The poor and needy, and to kill
men of an upright way.
15But their own sword, which they have drawn,
shall enter their own heart:
Their bows which they have bent shall break,
and into pieces part.
16A little that a just man hath
is more and better far
Than is the wealth of many such
as lewd and wicked are.
17For sinners' arms shall broken be;
but God the just sustains.
18God knows the just man's days, and still
their heritage remains.
19They shall not be asham'd when they
the evil time do see;
And when the days of famine are,
they satisfy'd shall be.
20But wicked men, and foes of God,
as fat of lambs, decay;
They shall consume, yea, into smoke
they shall consume away.
21The wicked borrows, but the same
again he doth not pay;
Whereas the righteous mercy shews,
and gives his own away.
22For such as blessed be of him
the earth inherit shall;
And they that cursed are of him
shall be destroyed all.
23A good man's footsteps by the Lord
are ordered aright;
And in the way wherein he walks
he greatly doth delight.
24Although he fall, yet shall he not
be cast down utterly;
Because the Lord with his own hand
upholds him mightily.
25I have been young, and now am old,
yet have I never seen
The just man left, nor that his seed
for bread have beggars been.
26He's ever merciful, and lends:
his seed is bless'd therefore.
27Depart from evil, and do good,
and dwell for evermore.
28For God loves judgment, and his saints
leaves not in any case;
They are kept ever: but cut off
shall be the sinner's race.
29The just inherit shall the land,
and ever in it dwell:
30The just man's mouth doth wisdom speak;
his tongue doth judgment tell.
31In's heart the law is of his God,
his steps slide not away.
32The wicked man doth watch the just,
and seeketh him to slay.
33Yet him the Lord will not forsake,
nor leave him in his hands:
The righteous will he not condemn,
when he in judgment stands.
34Wait on the Lord, and keep his way,
and thee exalt shall he
Th' earth to inherit; when cut off
the wicked thou shalt see.
35I saw the wicked great in pow'r,
spread like a green bay-tree:
36He pass'd, yea, was not; him I sought,
but found he could not be.
37Mark thou the perfect, and behold
the man of uprightness;
Because that surely of this man
the latter end is peace.
38But those men that transgressors are
shall be destroy'd together;
The latter end of wicked men
shall be cut off for ever.
39But the salvation of the just
is from the Lord above;
He in the time of their distress
their stay and strength doth prove.
40The Lord shall help, and them deliver:
he shall them free and save
From wicked men; because in him
their confidence they have.
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Psalms 37: MP1650
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Psalms 37
37
PSALM 37
Security of Those Who Trust in the Lord, and Insecurity of the Wicked.
A Psalm of David.
1 # One of the longer psalms, Ps 37 also has the distinction of having every other verse (sometimes succeeding verses) begin with a letter of the Hebrew in alphabetical order. This technique served as a memory aid. Do not worry because of evildoers,
Nor be envious toward wrongdoers;
2For they will wither quickly like the grass,
And fade like the green herb.
3Trust [rely on and have confidence] in the Lord and do good;
Dwell in the land and feed [securely] on His faithfulness.
4Delight yourself in the Lord,
And He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart.
5Commit your way to the Lord;
Trust in Him also and He will do it.
6He will make your righteousness [your pursuit of right standing with God] like the light,
And your judgment like [the shining of] the noonday [sun].
7Be still before the Lord; wait patiently for Him and entrust yourself to Him;
Do not fret (whine, agonize) because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
8Cease from anger and abandon wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evil.
9For those who do evil will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
10For yet a little while and the wicked one will be gone [forever];
Though you look carefully where he used to be, he will not be [found].
11But the humble will [at last] inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity and peace.
12The wicked plots against the righteous
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13The Lord laughs at him [the wicked one—the one who oppresses the righteous],
For He sees that his day [of defeat] is coming.
14The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow
To cast down the afflicted and the needy,
To slaughter those who are upright in conduct [those with personal integrity and godly character].
15The sword [of the ungodly] will enter their own heart,
And their bow will be broken.
16Better is the little of the righteous [who seek the will of God]
Than the abundance (riches) of many wicked (godless).
17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the Lord upholds and sustains the righteous [who seek Him].
18The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
And their inheritance will continue forever.
19They will not be #I.e. have their expectations in Your goodness be disappointed.ashamed in the time of evil,
And in the days of famine they will have plenty and be satisfied.
20But the wicked (ungodly) will perish,
And the enemies of the Lord will be like the #I.e. flowers.glory of the pastures and like the fat of lambs [that is consumed in smoke],
They vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and kind and gives.
22For those blessed by God will [at last] inherit the land,
But those cursed by Him will be cut off.
23The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord,
And He delights in his way [and blesses his path].
24When he falls, he will not be hurled down,
Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand and sustains him.
25I have been young and now I am old,
Yet I have not seen the righteous (those in right standing with God) abandoned
Or his descendants pleading for bread.
26All day long he is gracious and lends,
And his descendants are a blessing.
27Depart from evil and do good;
And you will dwell [securely in the land] forever.
28For the Lord delights in justice
And does not abandon His saints (faithful ones);
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked will [in time] be cut off.
29The righteous will inherit the land
And live in it forever.
30The mouth of the righteous proclaims wisdom,
And his tongue speaks justice and truth.
31The law of his God is in his heart;
Not one of his steps will slip.
32The wicked lies in wait for the righteous
And seeks to kill him.
33The Lord will not leave him in his hand
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.
34Wait for and expect the Lord and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
[In the end] when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
35I have seen a wicked, violent man [with great power]
Spreading and flaunting himself like a cedar in its native soil,
36Yet he passed away, and lo, he was no more;
I sought him, but he could not be found.
37Mark the blameless man [who is spiritually complete], and behold the upright [who walks in moral integrity];
There is a [good] future for the man of peace [because a life of honor blesses one’s descendants].
38As for transgressors, they will be completely destroyed;
The future of the wicked will be cut off.
39But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their refuge and stronghold in the time of trouble.
40The Lord helps them and rescues them;
He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.
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