Psalms 37

1 [A Psalm] of David. Fret not yourself because of evil-doers, neither be envious of them that do iniquity.

Do not be bothered/upset by what wicked [people do]. Do not desire to have the things that people who do wrong/evil have,

2 For they shall soon be withered as the grass, and shall soon fall away as the green herbs.

because they will soon disappear, like grass withers [in the hot sun] and dries up. Just like some green plants [come up but] die [during the hot summer], evil people will soon die also.

3 Hope in the Lord, and do good; and dwell on the land, and you shall be fed with the wealth of it.

Trust in Yahweh, and do what is good; if you do that, you will live safely in the land [that he has given you], and you will live peacefully [MET].

4 Delight [yourself] in the Lord; and he shall grant you the requests of your heart.

Be delighted with all that Yahweh [does for you]; if you do that, he will give you the things that you desire most.

5 Disclose your way to the Lord, and hope in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.

Commit to Yahweh all the things that you plan to do; trust in him, and he will do [whatever is needed to help you].

6 And he shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noon-day.

He will show [as clearly] as the sunlight that you (are innocent/have done nothing that is wrong); he will show [as clearly] as [the sun at] noontime [SIM] that all the things that you have decided are just.

7 Submit yourself to the Lord, and supplicate him: fret not yourself because of him that prospers in his way, at the man that does unlawful deeds.

Be quiet in Yahweh’s presence, and wait patiently for him [to do what you want him to do]. Do not be bothered/upset when what evil men do is successful, when they are able to do the wicked things that they plan.

8 ease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not yourself so as to do evil.

Do not be angry [about what wicked people do]. Do not want to punish them yourself. Do not be envious of such people because you will only harm [yourself if you try to envy them].

9 For evil-doers shall be destroyed: but they that wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the land.

[Some day Yahweh] will get rid of wicked people, but those who trust in Yahweh will live [safely] in the land [that he has given to them].

10 And yet a little while, and the sinner shall not be, and you shall seek for his place, and shall not find [it].

Soon the wicked will disappear. If you look for them, they will be gone.

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight [themselves] in the abundance of peace.

But those who are humble will live safely in their land. They will happily enjoy living peacefully and having the other good things [that Yahweh gives them].

12 The sinner will watch for the righteous, and gnash his teeth upon him.

Wicked people plan to harm righteous/godly people; they snarl at them [MET] [like wild animals].

13 But the Lord shall laugh at him: for he foresees that his day will come.

But Yahweh laughs [at them] because he knows that some day [MTY] [he will judge and punish] the wicked people.

14 Sinners have drawn their swords, they have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy one, [and] to kill the upright in heart.

Wicked people pull out their swords/daggers and they put strings on their bows, ready to kill people who are poor [DOU] and to slaughter those who live righteously.

15 Let their sword enter into their [own] heart, and their bows be broken.

But they will be killed by their own swords/daggers, and their bows will be broken.

16 A little is better to the righteous than abundant wealth of sinners.

It is good to be righteous/godly even if you do not have many possessions, but it is bad to be wicked, even if you are very wealthy,

17 For the arms of sinners shall be broken; but the Lord supports the righteous.

because [Yahweh] will completely take away the strength of wicked people, but he will (sustain/take care of) people who live righteously.

18 The Lord knows the ways of the perfect; and their inheritance shall be for ever.

Every day Yahweh cares about those who have not done any evil things; the things that Yahweh gives them will last forever.

19 They shall not be ashamed in an evil time; and in days of famine they shall be satisfied.

They will survive when calamities occur; when there are famines, they will still have plenty to eat.

20 For the sinners shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord at the moment of their being honoured and exalted have utterly vanished like smoke.

But wicked people will die; [just] like the beautiful wild flowers in the fields [die under the hot sun] and disappear like smoke [MET], Yahweh [will cause] his enemies to suddenly disappear.

21 The sinner borrows, and will not pay again: but the righteous has compassion, and gives.

The wicked people borrow [money], but they are not able to repay it; righteous/godly people, [in contrast, have enough money that] they can give generously [to others].

22 For they that bless him shall inherit the earth; and they that curse him shall be utterly destroyed.

Those whom Yahweh has blessed will live safely in the land that he has given to them, but he will get rid of those people whom he has cursed.

23 The steps of a man are rightly ordered by the Lord: and he will take pleasure in his way.

Yahweh protects those who do what is pleasing to him, and he will enable them to walk confidently, wherever they go;

24 When he falls, he shall not be ruined: for the Lord supports his hand.

even if they stumble, they will not fall down, because Yahweh holds them by his hand.

25 I was [once] young, indeed I am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.

I was young [previously], and now I am an old man, but [in all those years], I have never seen righteous/godly people being abandoned by Yahweh, nor have I seen that their children [needed to] beg for food.

26 He is merciful, and lends continually; and his seed shall be blessed.

Righteous/Godly people are generous, and happily lend [money to others], and their children are a blessing to them.

27 Turn aside from evil, and do good; and dwell for ever.

Turn away from [doing] evil, and do what is good. If you do that, you [and your descendants] will live in your land forever.

28 For the Lord loves judgement, and will not forsake his saints; they shall be preserved for ever: the blameless shall be avenged, but the seed of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.

[That will happen] because Yahweh likes to see people doing what is just, and he will never forsake righteous/godly people. He will protect them forever; but he will get rid of the children of wicked people.

29 But the righteous shall inherit the earth, and dwell upon it for ever.

Righteous/Godly people will own the land [that Yahweh promised to give to them], and they will live there forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous will meditate wisdom, and his tongue will speak of judgement.

Righteous people give wise [advice to others], and they [MTY] say what is just/fair.

31 The law of his God is in his heart; and his steps shall not slide.

They continually think about God’s laws; they do not stray from [God’s] path.

32 The sinner watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.

Those who are evil wait in ambush for righteous people in order to kill them [as they walk by].

33 But the Lord will not leave him in his hands, nor by any means condemn him when he is judged.

But Yahweh will not abandon righteous people, and allow (them to fall into their enemies’ hands/their enemies harm them). And he will not allow righteous people to be condemned when someone takes them to a judge [to be put on trial].

34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt you to inherit the land: when the wicked are destroyed, you shall see [it].

Be patient and trust that Yahweh [will help you], and (walk on his paths/do what he wants you to do). [If you do that], he will honor you by giving you the land [that he promised], and when he gets rid of the wicked, you will see it happen.

35 I saw the ungodly very highly exalting himself, and lifting himself up like the cedars of Libanus.

I have seen that wicked people who (act like tyrants/terrify people) [sometimes] prosper, like trees that grow well in fertile soil,

36 Yet I passed by, and behold! he was not: and I sought him, but his place was not found.

when I looked [later], they were gone! I searched for them, but [Yahweh had caused] them to disappear.

37 Maintain innocence, and behold uprightness: for there is a remnant to the peaceful man.

Notice the people who have not done evil things, those who act righteously: their descendants will have peace in their inner beings.

38 But the transgressors shall be utterly destroyed together: the remnants of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.

But Yahweh will get rid of the wicked; he will also get rid of their descendants (OR, as a result, they will not have any descendants).

39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; and he is their defender in the time of affliction.

Yahweh rescues righteous people; in times of trouble he protects them [MET].

40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: and he shall rescue them from sinners, and save them, because they have hoped in him.

Yahweh helps them and saves them; he rescues them from [being attacked/harmed by] wicked people because they go to him to be protected [MET].