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!
Currently Selected:
Psalms 37: TPT
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion TranslationPsalms 37
37
The Fate of Sinners and the Reward of the Just
1Of David.
Aleph
Do not be provoked by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.#Prv 3:31; 23:17; 24:1, 19.
2Like grass they wither quickly;
like green plants they wilt away.#Ps 90:5–6; 102:12; 103:15–16; Jb 14:2; Is 40:7.
Beth
3Trust in the Lord and do good
that you may dwell in the land#The land: the promised land, Israel, which became for later interpreters a type or figure of heaven, cf. Heb 11:9–10, 13–16. The New Testament Beatitudes (Mt 5:3–12; Lk 6:20–26) have been influenced by the Psalm, especially their total reversal of the present and their interpretation of the happy future as possession of the land. and live secure.#Ps 128:2.
4Find your delight in the Lord
who will give you your heart’s desire.#Prv 10:24.
Gimel
5Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will act#Ps 55:23; Prv 3:5; 16:3.
6And make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like noonday.#Wis 5:6; Is 58:10.
Daleth
7Be still before the Lord;
wait for him.
Do not be provoked by the prosperous,
nor by malicious schemers.
He
8Refrain from anger; abandon wrath;
do not be provoked; it brings only harm.
9Those who do evil will be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord will inherit the earth.#Ps 25:13; Prv 2:21; Is 57:13.
Waw
10Wait a little, and the wicked will be no more;
look for them and they will not be there.
11But the poor will inherit the earth,#Mt 5:4.
will delight in great prosperity.
Zayin
12The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13But my Lord laughs at them,#Ps 2:4; 59:9; Wis 4:18.
because he sees that their day is coming.
Heth
14The wicked unsheath their swords;
they string their bows
To fell the poor and oppressed,
to slaughter those whose way is upright.#Ps 11:2; 57:5; 64:4.
15Their swords will pierce their own hearts;
their bows will be broken.
Teth
16Better the meagerness of the righteous one
than the plenty of the wicked.#Prv 15:16; 16:8.
17The arms of the wicked will be broken,
while the Lord will sustain the righteous.
Yodh
18The Lord knows the days of the blameless;
their heritage lasts forever.
19They will not be ashamed when times are bad;
in days of famine they will be satisfied.
Kaph
20The wicked perish,
enemies of the Lord;
They shall be consumed like fattened lambs;
like smoke they disappear.#Wis 5:14.
Lamedh
21The wicked one borrows but does not repay;
the righteous one is generous and gives.
22For those blessed by the Lord will inherit the earth,
but those accursed will be cut off.
Mem
23The valiant one whose steps are guided by the Lord,
who will delight in his way,#Prv 20:24.
24May stumble, but he will never fall,
for the Lord holds his hand.
Nun
25Neither in my youth, nor now in old age
have I seen the righteous one abandoned#Jb 4:7; Sir 2:10.
or his offspring begging for bread.
26All day long he is gracious and lends,
and his offspring become a blessing.
Samekh
27Turn from evil and do good,
that you may be settled forever.#Ps 34:14–15; Am 5:14.
28For the Lord loves justice
and does not abandon the faithful.
Ayin
When the unjust are destroyed,
and the offspring of the wicked cut off,
29The righteous will inherit the earth
and dwell in it forever.#Ps 25:13; Prv 2:21; Is 57:13.
Pe
30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;#Prv 10:31.
his tongue speaks what is right.
31God’s teaching is in his heart;#Ps 40:9; Dt 6:6; Is 51:7; Jer 31:33.
his steps do not falter.
Sadhe
32The wicked spies on the righteous
and seeks to kill him.
33But the Lord does not abandon him in his power,
nor let him be condemned when tried.
Qoph
34Wait eagerly for the Lord,
and keep his way;#Ps 31:24.
He will raise you up to inherit the earth;
you will see when the wicked are cut off.
Resh
35I have seen a ruthless scoundrel,
spreading out like a green cedar.#Ps 92:8–9; Is 2:13; Ez 31:10–11.
36When I passed by again, he was gone;
though I searched, he could not be found.
Shin
37Observe the person of integrity and mark the upright;
Because there is a future for a man of peace.#Prv 23:18; 24:14.
38Sinners will be destroyed together;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.
Taw
39The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord,
their refuge in a time of distress.#Ps 9:10; Is 25:4.
40The Lord helps and rescues them,
rescues and saves them from the wicked,
because they take refuge in him.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc