Psalms 37

1 David’s. [An Alphabetical Psalm.] Burn not with vexation because of evil-doers, Be not envious of the workers of perversity;

By David. Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

2 For, like grass, soon shall they wither, and, like green herbage, shall they fade.

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

3 Trust in Yahweh, and do good, Dwell in the land, and feed on fidelity;

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

4 Yea, rest thy delight on Yahweh, that he may give thee the requests of thy heart.

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

5 Roll on Yahweh thy way, Trust also in him, and, he, will effectually work:

Commit your way to the LORD. Trust also in him, and he will do this:

6 So will he bring forth, as the light, thy righteousness, and thy vindication as the noonday.

he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun.

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.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath, Burn not with vexation—[it would be] only to do evil;

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.

9 For, evil doers, shall be cut off, but, as for them who wait for Yahweh, they, shall inherit the earth.

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

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!

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 patient oppressed-ones, shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves over the abundance of prosperity.

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

12 Plotting is the lawless one, against the just, and gnashing upon him with his teeth.

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

13 My Lord, shall laugh at him, for he seeth, that his day, will come.

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

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:

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 on the path.

15 Their sword, shall enter into their own heart, and, their bow, shall be broken.

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

16 Better the little of the righteous man, than the abundance of the lawless who are mighty;

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

17 For, the arms of the lawless, shall be broken, But Yahweh is upholding the righteous.

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

18 Yahweh knoweth the days of the blameless, that, their inheritance, unto times age-abiding, shall continue.

The LORD knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

19 They shall not be ashamed in the time of calamity, and, in the days of famine, shall they be filled.

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

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 the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the LORD shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish— vanish like smoke.

21 A lawless man borroweth, and will not repay, But, a righteous man, showeth favour and giveth;

The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

22 For, such as are blessed of him, shall inherit the earth, But, the cursed of him, shall be cut off.

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

23 From Yahweh, are the steps of a man made firm, When, with his way, he is well pleased:

A man’s steps are established by the LORD. He delights in his way.

24 Though he fall, he shall not be hurled headlong, For, Yahweh, is holding his hand.

Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with 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 have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.

26 All day long, is he showing favour and lending, his seed, therefore, shall have a blessing.

All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.

27 Turn from evil, and do good, and so settle down, unto times age-abiding.

Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely 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.

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

29 The righteous, shall inherit the earth, that they may settle down, to futurity, thereupon.

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

30 The mouth of a righteous man, softly uttereth wisdom, and, his tongue, speaketh justice:

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

31 The law of his God, is in his heart, his steps shall not swerve.

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

32 The lawless man, lieth in wait, for the just, and seeketh to put him to death:

The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him.

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

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

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.

Wait for the LORD, 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 a lawless man, a tyrant, and spreading himself out, like a cedar in Lebanon;

I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

36 Then I passed by, and lo! he had vanished! Yea I sought him, but he could not be found.

But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright, for there is a hereafter for the man of peace;

Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But, transgressors, are to be destroyed together, the hereafter of lawless men, is to be cut off.

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

39 But, the deliverance of the righteous, is from Yahweh, their refuge in a time of distress.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

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.

The LORD helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.