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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Psalms 37: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Psalms 37
37
Psalm 37
Instruction in Wisdom
Of David.
1Do not be agitated by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.#Ps 73:3; Pr 3:31; 23:17; 24:19
2For they wither quickly like grass
and wilt like tender green plants.#Ps 92:7; 129:6; Jms 1:11
3Trust in the Lord and do what is good;#Ps 62:8
dwell in the land and live securely.#37:3 Or and cultivate faithfulness, or and befriend faithfulness#Pr 2:21
4Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.#Ps 21:2; 145:19; Is 58:14
5Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act,#Ps 55:22; Pr 16:3; 1Pt 5:7
6making your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like the noonday.#Ps 97:11; Is 58:8,10
7Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for him;#Ps 40:1; Lm 3:26
do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,
by the person who carries out evil plans.#Jr 12:1
8Refrain from anger and give up your rage;
do not be agitated — it can only bring harm.#Eph 4:31; Col 3:8
9For evildoers will be destroyed,
but those who put their hope in the Lord
will inherit the land.#Pr 2:21; Is 57:13; 60:21
10A little while, and the wicked person will be no more;
though you look for him, he will not be there.#Jb 7:10; 24:24; Ps 37:35–36
11But the humble will inherit the land#Mt 5:5
and will enjoy abundant prosperity.#Ps 72:7
12The wicked person schemes against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him.#Ps 31:13,20; 35:16
13The Lord laughs at him#Ps 2:4; 59:8; Hab 1:10
because he sees that his day is coming.#1Sm 26:10
14The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the#37:14 Lit their bow
to bring down the poor and needy
and to slaughter those whose way is upright.#Ps 11:2; Lm 2:4
15Their swords will enter their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.#1Sm 2:4; Ps 46:9
16The little that the righteous person has is better
than the abundance of many wicked people.#Pr 15:16; 16:8
17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,#Ps 10:15
but the Lord supports the righteous.#Ps 145:14
18The Lord watches over the blameless all their days,
and their inheritance will last forever.#Ps 1:6
19They will not be disgraced in times of adversity;
they will be satisfied in days of hunger.#Jb 5:20; Ps 33:19
20But the wicked will perish;
the Lord’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures,
will fade away —
they will fade away like smoke.#Ps 68:2; Hs 13:3
21The wicked person borrows and does not repay,
but the righteous one is gracious and giving.#Ps 112:5,9
22Those who are blessed by the Lord will inherit the land,
but those cursed by him will be destroyed.#Pr 3:33
23A person’s steps are established by the Lord,
and he takes pleasure in his way.#1Sm 2:9; Ps 66:9
24Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,
because the Lord supports him with his hand.#Ps 145:14; Pr 24:16; Mc 7:8
25I have been young and now I am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned
or his children begging for bread.#Pr 10:3; Is 41:17
26He is always generous, always lending,
and his children are a blessing.#Dt 15:8; Ps 112:5,9; Mt 5:42
27Turn away from evil, do what is good,
and settle permanently.#Ps 34:14; 102:28
28For the Lord loves justice
and will not abandon his faithful ones.#Dt 31:6; Heb 13:5
They are kept safe forever,
but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.#Ps 21:10; Pr 2:22
29The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it permanently.#Pr 2:21; Is 60:21
30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;
his tongue speaks what is just.#Ps 49:3; 119:13; Pr 10:13
31The instruction of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not falter.#Dt 6:6; Ps 40:8; 119:11
32The wicked one lies in wait for the righteous
and intends to kill him;#Ps 10:8; 17:11
33the Lord will not leave him
in the power of the wicked one
or allow him to be condemned when he is judged.#Ps 34:22; 109:31; 2Pt 2:9
34Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land.
You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.#Ps 27:14; 52:5–6; 91:8
35I have seen a wicked, violent person
well-rooted,#37:35 Hb obscure like a flourishing native tree.#Jb 5:3; Jr 12:2
36Then I#37:36 LXX, Syr, Vg, Jer; MT reads he passed by and noticed he was gone;
I searched for him, but he could not be found.#Jb 20:5
37Watch the blameless and observe the upright,
for the person of peace will have a future.#37:37 Or posterity, also in v. 38#Is 57:1–2
38But transgressors will all be eliminated;
the future of the wicked will be destroyed.#Ps 1:4–6; Pr 2:22
39The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord,
their refuge in a time of distress.#Ps 3:8; 9:9; 62:1
40The Lord helps and delivers them;
he will deliver them from the wicked and will save them
because they take refuge in him.#Ps 22:4; 34:22; 54:4
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