Psalms 37
1 David’s. [An Alphabetical Psalm.] Burn not with vexation because of evil-doers, Be not envious of the workers of perversity;
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, like grass, soon shall they wither, and, like green herbage, shall they fade.
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 Yahweh, and do good, Dwell in the land, and feed on fidelity;
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 Yea, rest thy delight on Yahweh, that he may 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 Roll on Yahweh thy way, Trust also in him, and, he, will effectually work:
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 So will he bring forth, as the light, thy righteousness, and thy vindication 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 resigned to Yahweh, yea wait with longing for him; Burn not with vexation at him who prospereth in his way, —at the man who doeth wickedness.
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 forsake wrath, Burn not with vexation—[it would be] only 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 cut off, but, as for them who wait for Yahweh, they, shall inherit the earth.
[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 a little, therefore, and the lawless one shall not be, Yea thou shalt look about, over his place—and he shall have vanished!
Soon the wicked will disappear. If you look for them, they will be gone.
11 But, the patient oppressed-ones, shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves over the abundance of prosperity.
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 Plotting is the lawless one, against the just, and gnashing upon him with his teeth.
Wicked people plan to harm righteous/godly people; they snarl at them [MET] [like wild animals].
13 My Lord, shall laugh at him, for he seeth, 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 A sword, have the lawless, drawn out, and have trodden their bow, —To bring down the oppressed and the needy, To slaughter the upright in life:
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 Their sword, shall enter into their own heart, and, their bow, shall be broken.
But they will be killed by their own swords/daggers, and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little of the righteous man, than the abundance of the lawless who are mighty;
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 lawless, shall be broken, But Yahweh is upholding 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 Yahweh knoweth the days of the blameless, that, their inheritance, unto times age-abiding, shall continue.
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 the time of calamity, and, in the days of famine, shall they be filled.
They will survive when calamities occur; when there are famines, they will still have plenty to eat.
20 For, the lawless, shall perish, and, the foes of Yahweh, be like the glory of the meadows, They have vanished! In smoke, have they vanished!
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 A lawless man borroweth, and will not repay, But, a righteous man, showeth favour and giveth;
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 are blessed of him, shall inherit the earth, But, the cursed of him, shall be cut off.
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 From Yahweh, are the steps of a man made firm, When, with his way, he is well pleased:
Yahweh protects those who do what is pleasing to him, and he will enable them to walk confidently, wherever they go;
24 Though he fall, he shall not be hurled headlong, For, Yahweh, is holding his hand.
even if they stumble, they will not fall down, because Yahweh holds them by his hand.
25 Young, have I been, moreover am old, —Yet have I not seen, A righteous man forsaken, Nor his seed begging 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 All day long, is he showing favour and lending, his seed, therefore, shall have a blessing.
Righteous/Godly people are generous, and happily lend [money to others], and their children are a blessing to them.
27 Turn from evil, and do good, and so settle down, unto times age-abiding.
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, Yahweh, loveth justice, and will not forsake his men of lovingkindness, Unto times age-abiding, have the perverse been destroyed, —and the seed of the lawless, been cut off.
[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 The righteous, shall inherit the earth, that they may settle down, to futurity, thereupon.
Righteous/Godly people will own the land [that Yahweh promised to give to them], and they will live there forever.
30 The mouth of a righteous man, softly uttereth wisdom, and, his tongue, speaketh justice:
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, his steps shall not swerve.
They continually think about God’s laws; they do not stray from [God’s] path.
32 The lawless man, lieth in wait, for the just, 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 Yahweh, will not leave him in his hand, nor 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 for Yahweh, and observe thou his path, that he may exalt thee, to inherit the earth, On the cutting off of the lawless, shalt thou look.
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 a lawless man, a tyrant, and spreading himself out, like a cedar in Lebanon;
I have seen that wicked people who (act like tyrants/terrify people) [sometimes] prosper, like trees that grow well in fertile soil,
36 Then I passed by, and lo! he had vanished! Yea I sought him, but he could not be found.
when I looked [later], they were gone! I searched for them, but [Yahweh had caused] them to disappear.
37 Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright, for there is a hereafter for the man of peace;
Notice the people who have not done evil things, those who act righteously: their descendants will have peace in their inner beings.
38 But, transgressors, are to be destroyed together, the hereafter of lawless men, is to be cut off.
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 deliverance of the righteous, is from Yahweh, their refuge in a time of distress.
Yahweh rescues righteous people; in times of trouble he protects them [MET].
40 Thus hath Yahweh helped them, thus hath he delivered them, —He will deliver them from the lawless, and will save them, because they have sought refuge 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].
