Psalms 37
37
Psalm 37
Security of Those Who Trust in the Lord, and Insecurity of the Wicked.
A Psalm of David.
1 # 37:1 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].
7¶Be 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. [Is 57:13c]
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]. [Heb 10:36, 37; Rev 21:7, 8]
11But the humble will [at last] inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity and peace. [Ps 37:29; Matt 5:5]
12¶The 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.
16¶Better is the little of the righteous [who seek the will of God]
Than the abundance (riches) of many wicked (godless). [1 Tim 6:6, 7]
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 #37:19 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 #37:20 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. [Is 57:13c]
23¶The 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.
27¶Depart 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.
35¶I 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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Psalm 37
37
A Psalm of David.
א Aleph
1Fret not thyself because of evildoers,
Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
ב Bet
3Trust in the LORD, and do good;
So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4Delight thyself also in the LORD;
And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
ג Gimel
5Commit thy way unto the LORD; Trust also in him;
And he shall bring it to pass.
6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,
And thy judgment as the noonday.
ד Dalet
7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:
Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
ה He
8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:
Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9For evildoers shall be cut off:
But those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
ו Waw
10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be:
Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11But the meek shall inherit the earth;
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
ז Zain
12The wicked plotteth against the just,
And gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13The Lord shall laugh at him:
For he seeth that his day is coming.
ח Het
14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15Their sword shall enter into their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.
ט Tet
16A little that a righteous man hath is better
Than the riches of many wicked.
17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken:
But the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
י Yod
18The LORD knoweth the days of the upright:
And their inheritance shall be for ever.
19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time:
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
כ Kaph
20But the wicked shall perish,
And the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs:
They shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
ל Lamed
21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again:
But the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth;
And they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
מ Mem
23The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD:
And he delighteth in his way.
24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:
For the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
נ Nun
25I have been young, and now am old;
Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth;
And his seed is blessed.
ס Samek
27Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell for evermore.
28For the LORD loveth judgment,
ע Ain
And forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever:
But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell therein for ever.
פ Pe
30The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom,
And his tongue talketh of judgment.
31The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.
צ Zade
32The wicked watcheth the righteous,
And seeketh to slay him.
33The LORD will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.
ק Qoph
34Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land:
When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
ר Resh
35I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not:
Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
ש Shin
37Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright:
For the end of that man is peace.
38But the transgressors shall be destroyed together:
The end of the wicked shall be cut off.
ת Taw
39But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD:
He is their strength in the time of trouble.
40And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them:
He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
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