Psalms 37

1 A Psalm of David himself. Do not choose to imitate the malicious; neither should you envy those who work 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 will quickly wither away like dry grass, and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop.

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 in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches.

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

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

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 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.

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

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 those who are malicious will be exterminated. But those who remain with the Lord, these will 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 Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be. And you will search his place and find nothing.

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

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and they will delight in the multitude 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 observe the just, and he will gnash his teeth over him.

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

13 But the Lord will laugh at him: for he knows in advance 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 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.

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 hearts, and let their bow 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 just than the many riches 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 will be crushed, but the Lord confirms the just.

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 days of the immaculate, and their inheritance will be in eternity.

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

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

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

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

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

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 will be directed by the Lord, and he will choose 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 will not be harmed, because the Lord places his hand under him.

even if they stumble, they will not fall down, because Yahweh holds them by 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 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 shows compassion and lends, all day long, and his offspring will be in blessing.

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

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

[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 just will inherit the earth, and they will dwell upon it forever and 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 just one will express wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment.

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 be supplanted.

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

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

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 abandon him into his hands, nor condemn him, when he will be 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 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.

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

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

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

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

37 Keep to innocence, and gaze upon fairness: because there are allotments for 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 unjust will be destroyed together: the allotments of the impious will pass away.

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

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

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.

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].