Psalms 37

1 A psalm for David himself. Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that 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 shall shortly wither away as grass, and as the green herbs shall quickly fall.

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 Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed 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 give thee the requests of thy 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 Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do 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 thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

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 Envy not the man who prospereth in his way; the man who doth unjust things.

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 anger, and leave rage; have no emulation 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 the evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord 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 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.

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

11 But the meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight in 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 shall watch the just man: and shall gnash upon him with his teeth.

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 foreseeth that his day shall come.

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

14 The wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill 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 Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked.

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 the wicked shall be broken in pieces; but the Lord strengtheneth 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 knoweth the days of undefiled; 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 confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be filled:

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

20 Because the wicked shall perish. And the enemies of the Lord, presently after they shall be honoured and exalted, shall come to nothing and vanish 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 shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

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 such as bless him shall inherit the land: but such as curse him shall 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 With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well 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 shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth 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 am old; and I have not seen the just 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 sheweth mercy, and lendeth all the day long; and his seed shall be in blessing.

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

27 Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever 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 loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: they shall be preserved for ever. The unjust shall be punished, and the seed of the wicked shall 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 shall inherit the land, and shall dwell therein for evermore.

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 shall meditate wisdom: and his tongue shall 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 wicked watcheth the just man, and seeketh 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 leave in his hands; nor condemn him when he shall 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 Expect the Lord and keep his way: and he will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the sinners shall perish thou shalt 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 wicked highly exalted, and lifted 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 And I passed by, and lo, 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 innocence, and behold justice: for there are remnants for the peaceable 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 shall be destroyed together: the remnants of the wicked shall perish.

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 the time of trouble.

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

40 And the Lord will help them and deliver them: and he will rescue them from the wicked, 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].