Psalm 37
Instruction in Wisdom
Davidic.
1 Do[a] not be agitated by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.
2 For they wither quickly like grass
and wilt like tender green plants.
dwell in the land and live securely.[b]
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and He will give you your heart’s desires.
trust in Him, and He will act,
6 making your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like the noonday.
do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,
by the man who carries out evil plans.
do not be agitated—it can only bring harm.
9 For evildoers will be destroyed,
but those who put their hope in the Lord
will inherit the land.[c]
though you look for him, he will not be there.
11 But the humble will inherit the land[d]
and will enjoy abundant prosperity.
and gnashes his teeth at him.
13 The Lord laughs at him
because He sees that his day is coming.
to bring down the afflicted and needy
and to slaughter those whose way is upright.
15 Their swords will enter their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
than the abundance of many wicked people.
17 For the arms[f] of the wicked will be broken,
but the Lord supports the righteous.
and their inheritance will last forever.
19 They will not be disgraced in times of adversity;
they will be satisfied in days of hunger.
the Lord’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures,
will fade away—
they will fade away like smoke.
but the righteous one is gracious and giving.
22 Those who are blessed by Him will inherit the land,[g]
but those cursed by Him will be destroyed.
and He takes pleasure in his way.
24 Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,
because the Lord holds his hand.[h]
yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned
or his children begging for bread.
26 He is always generous, always lending,
and his children are a blessing.
and dwell there[i] forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice
and will not abandon His faithful ones.
They are kept safe forever,
but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.
29 The righteous will inherit the land[j]
and dwell in it permanently.
his tongue speaks what is just.
31 The instruction of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not falter.
and seeks to kill him;
33 the Lord will not leave him
in the power of the wicked one
or allow him to be condemned when he is judged.
and He will exalt you to inherit the land.
You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.
well-rooted[k] like a flourishing native tree.
36 Then I passed by and[l] noticed he was gone;
I searched for him, but he could not be found.
for the man of peace will have a future.[m]
38 But transgressors will all be eliminated;
the future[n] of the wicked will be destroyed.
their refuge in a time of distress.
40 The Lord helps and delivers them;
He will deliver them from the wicked and will save them
because they take refuge in Him.
Footnotes
- Psalm 37:1 The lines of this poem form an acrostic.
- Psalm 37:3 Or and cultivate faithfulness
- Psalm 37:9 Or earth
- Psalm 37:11 Or earth
- Psalm 37:14 Lit their
- Psalm 37:17 Or power
- Psalm 37:22 Or earth
- Psalm 37:24 Or Lord supports with His hand
- Psalm 37:27 = dwell in the land
- Psalm 37:29 Or earth
- Psalm 37:35 Hb obscure
- Psalm 37:36 DSS, LXX, Syr, Vg, Jer; MT reads Then he passed away, and I
- Psalm 37:37 Or posterity
- Psalm 37:38 Or posterity