Psalms 37

1 A Psalm of David himself. Do not choose to imitate the malicious; neither should you envy those who work iniquity.

[By David.] Do not fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

2 For they will quickly wither away like dry grass, and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

3 Hope in the Lord and do good, and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches.

Trust in YHWH, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight in the Lord, and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart.

Also delight yourself in YHWH, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will accomplish it.

Commit your way to YHWH. Trust also in him, and he will act.

6 And he will bring forth your justice like the light, and your judgment like the midday.

And he will make your righteousness go forth as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be subject to the Lord and pray to him. Do not choose to compete with him who prospers in his way, with the man who does injustice.

Rest in YHWH, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

8 Cease from wrath and leave behind rage. Do not choose to imitate the malicious.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.

9 For those who are malicious will be exterminated. But those who remain with the Lord, these will inherit the land.

For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for YHWH shall inherit the land.

10 Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be. And you will search his place and find nothing.

For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn't there.

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and they will delight in the multitude of peace.

But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12 The sinner will observe the just, and he will gnash his teeth over him.

The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.

13 But the Lord will laugh at him: for he knows in advance that his day will come.

YHWH will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The sinners have drawn the sword, they have bent their bow, so as to cast down the poor and the needy, so as to massacre the upright of heart.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright in the way.

15 Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken.

16 A little is better to the just than the many riches of sinners.

Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

17 For the arms of sinners will be crushed, but the Lord confirms the just.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but YHWH upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, and their inheritance will be in eternity.

YHWH knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

19 They will not be confounded in an evil time; and in days of famine, they will be satisfied:

They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20 for sinners will perish. Truly, the adversaries of the Lord, soon after they have been honored and exalted, will fade away, in the same way that smoke fades away.

But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of YHWH shall be like the burning of an oven. They will vanish—vanish like smoke.

21 The sinner will lend and not release, but the just one shows compassion and donates.

The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous give generously.

22 For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will perish.

For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man will be directed by the Lord, and he will choose his way.

The steps of a man are established by YHWH, and he delights in his way.

24 When he falls, he will not be harmed, because the Lord places his hand under him.

Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for YHWH holds him up with his hand.

25 I have been young, and now I am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his offspring seeking bread.

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.

26 He shows compassion and lends, all day long, and his offspring will be in blessing.

All day long he deals graciously and lends, and his offspring are a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell forever and ever.

Turn away from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.

28 For the Lord loves judgment, and he will not abandon his saints. They will be kept safe in eternity. The unjust will be punished, and the offspring of the impious will perish.

For YHWH loves justice, and doesn't forsake his faithful ones. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

29 But the just will inherit the earth, and they will dwell upon it forever and ever.

The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.

30 The mouth of the just one will express wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment.

The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.

31 The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.

The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.

32 The sinner considers the just one and seeks to put him to death.

The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.

33 But the Lord will not abandon him into his hands, nor condemn him, when he will be judged.

YHWH will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

34 Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way. And he will exalt you, so as to inherit the land that you may seize. When the sinners will have passed away, then you shall see.

Wait for YHWH, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

35 I have seen the impious over-exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon.

I have seen the wicked wielding great power, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.

36 And I passed by, and behold, he was not. And I sought him, and his place was not found.

And I passed by, and look, he was not. And I looked for him, but he could not be found.

37 Keep to innocence, and gaze upon fairness: because there are allotments for the peaceful man.

Observe the blameless, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But the unjust will be destroyed together: the allotments of the impious will pass away.

As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in time of tribulation.

The salvation of the righteous is from YHWH. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

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

And YHWH helps them, and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, Because they have taken refuge in him.