Psalms 37
37
Psalm 37#37.0 Ps 37 is an alphabetic acrostic poem; see the note at Pss 9–10.
Of David.
1Don’t get upset over evildoers;
don’t be jealous of those who do wrong,
2because they will fade fast, like grass;
they will wither like green vegetables.
3Trust the LORD and do good;
live in the land, and farm faithfulness.
4Enjoy the LORD,
and he will give what your heart asks.
5Commit your way to the LORD!
Trust him! He will act
6and will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like high noon.
7Be still before the LORD,
and wait#37.7 Correction with LXX, Vulg for him.
Don’t get upset when someone gets ahead—
someone who invents evil schemes.
8Let go of anger and leave rage behind!
Don’t get upset—it will only lead to evil.
9Because evildoers will be eliminated,
but those who hope in the LORD—
they will possess the land.
10In just a little while the wicked won’t exist!
If you go looking around their place,
they won’t be there.
11But the weak will inherit the land;
they will enjoy a surplus of peace.
12The wicked plot against the righteous,
grinding their teeth at them.
13But my Lord just laughs at them
because he knows that their day is coming.
14The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows
to bring down the weak and the needy,
to slaughter those whose way is right.
15But the sword of the wicked will enter their own hearts!
Their bows will be broken!
16Better is the little that the righteous have
than the overabundant wealth of the wicked.#37.16 LXX, Vulg, Syr; MT abundant wealth of many wicked
17The arms of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD supports the righteous.
18The LORD is intimately acquainted
with the lives of the blameless;
their heritage will last forever.
19They won’t be ashamed in troubling times,
and in a period of famine they will eat their fill.
20But the wicked will die,
the LORD’s enemies will disappear—
disappear like the beauty of a meadow—in smoke.
21The wicked borrow and don’t pay it back, but the righteous are generous and giving.
22Those blessed by God will possess the land,
but those cursed by God will be cut off.
23A person’s steps are made secure by the LORD
when they delight in his way.
24Though they trip up, they won’t be thrown down,
because the LORD holds their hand.
25I was young and now I’m old,
but I have never seen the righteous left all alone,
have never seen their children begging for bread.
26They are always gracious and generous.
Their children are a blessing.
27Turn away from evil! Do good!
Then you will live in the land forever.
28The LORD loves justice.
He will never leave his faithful all alone.
They are guarded forever,
but the children of the wicked are eliminated.
29The righteous will possess the land;
they will live on it forever.
30The mouths of the righteous recite wisdom;
their tongues discuss justice.
31The Instruction of their God is in their hearts;
they don’t miss a step.
32The wicked, on the other hand, target the righteous,
seeking to kill them.
33But the LORD won’t leave the righteous
to the power of the wicked,
and won’t let the righteous
be found guilty when they are judged.
34Hope in the LORD and keep his way!
He will lift you up so you can possess the land.
When the wicked are eliminated,
you will see it for yourself!
35I myself have seen wicked powerful people,
exalting themselves like a stately cedar.#37.35 LXX
36But when I#37.36 LXX, Syr, Vulg came back, they were gone!
I looked all over for them,
but they couldn’t be found!
37Observe those who have integrity
and watch those whose heart is right
because the future belongs to persons of peace.
38But wrongdoers will be destroyed all together;
the future of the wicked will be cut short.
39The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their refuge in times of trouble.
40The LORD will help them and rescue them—
rescue them from the wicked—and he will save them
because they have taken refuge in him.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Psalms 37
37
The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked
A Psalm of David.
1Do#Ps. 73:3; (Prov. 23:17; 24:19) not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2For they shall soon be cut down #Job 14:2; Ps. 90:5, 6; 92:7; James 1:11like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
3Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4#Job 22:26; Ps. 94:19; Is. 58:14Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your #Ps. 21:2; 145:19; (Matt. 7:7, 8)heart.
5#(Ps. 55:22; Prov. 16:3; 1 Pet. 5:7)Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6#Job 11:17; (Is. 58:8, 10)He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
7Rest in the Lord, #Ps. 40:1; 62:5; (Lam. 3:26)and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who #(Ps. 73:3–12)prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
8#(Eph. 4:26)Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
#Ps. 73:3Do not fret—it only causes harm.
9For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall #Ps. 25:13; Prov. 2:21; (Is. 57:13; 60:21; Matt. 5:5)inherit the earth.
10For #(Heb. 10:37)yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, #Job 7:10; Ps. 37:35, 36you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11#(Matt. 5:5)But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12The wicked plots against the just,
#Ps. 35:16And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13#Ps. 2:4; 59:8The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that #1 Sam. 26:10; Job 18:20his day is coming.
14The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.
15Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.
16#Prov. 15:16; 16:8; (1 Tim. 6:6)A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.
17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the Lord upholds the righteous.
18The Lord knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.
21The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But #Ps. 112:5, 9the righteous shows mercy and gives.
22#(Prov. 3:33)For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.
23#(1 Sam. 2:9); Ps. 40:2; 66:9; 119:5The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
24#Prov. 24:16Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
25I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26#(Deut. 15:8); Ps. 37:21He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.
27Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
28For the Lord loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
29#Ps. 37:9; Prov. 2:21The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.
30#(Matt. 12:35)The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.
31The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.
32The wicked #Ps. 10:8; 17:11watches the righteous,
And seeks to slay him.
33The Lord #Ps. 31:8; (2 Pet. 2:9)will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.
34#Ps. 27:14; 37:9Wait on the Lord,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree.
36Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.
37Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.
38#(Ps. 1:4–6; 37:20, 28)But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength #Ps. 9:9; 37:19in the time of trouble.
40And #Ps. 22:4; Is. 31:5; Dan. 3:17; 6:23the Lord shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
#1 Chr. 5:20; Ps. 34:22Because they trust in Him.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.