Psalms 37:1-40
Of David.
א [Aleph]
37 Do not be upset* because of evil menOr envious of wrongdoers.+
2 They will quickly wither like grass+And shrivel like green new grass.
ב [Beth]
3 Trust in Jehovah and do what is good;+Reside in the earth,* and act with faithfulness.+
4 Find exquisite delight* in Jehovah,And he will grant you the desires of your heart.
ג [Gimel]
5 Commit your way to* Jehovah;+Rely on him, and he will act in your behalf.+
6 He will make your righteousness shine like daybreak,And your justice like the midday sun.
ד [Daleth]
7 Keep silent before Jehovah+And wait expectantly* for him.
Do not be upset by the manWho succeeds in carrying out his schemes.+
ה [He]
8 Let go of anger and abandon rage;+Do not become upset and turn to doing evil.*
9 For evil men will be done away with,+But those hoping in Jehovah will possess the earth.+
ו [Waw]
10 Just a little while longer, and the wicked will be no more;+You will look at where they were,And they will not be there.+
11 But the meek will possess the earth,+And they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.+
ז [Zayin]
12 The wicked man plots against the righteous;+He grinds his teeth at him.
13 But Jehovah will laugh at him,For He knows that his day will come.+
ח [Heth]
14 The wicked draw their swords and bend* their bowsTo bring down the oppressed and the poor,To slaughter those whose way is upright.
15 But their sword will pierce their own heart;+Their bows will be broken.
ט [Teth]
16 Better is the little of the righteous oneThan the abundance of many wicked ones.+
17 For the arms of the wicked will be broken,But Jehovah will support the righteous.
י [Yod]
18 Jehovah is aware of what the blameless go through,*And their inheritance will last forever.+
19 They will not be put to shame in the time of disaster;In the time of famine they will have plenty.
כ [Kaph]
20 But the wicked will perish;+The enemies of Jehovah will vanish like glorious pastures;They will vanish like smoke.
ל [Lamed]
21 The wicked one borrows and does not repay,But the righteous one is generous* and giving.+
22 Those blessed by Him will possess the earth,But those cursed by Him will be done away with.+
מ [Mem]
23 Jehovah guides* the steps of a man+When He finds pleasure in his way.+
24 Although he may fall, he will not be hurled down,+For Jehovah supports him by the hand.*+
נ [Nun]
25 I was once young and now I am old,But I have not seen anyone righteous abandoned,+Nor his children looking for bread.*+
26 He always lends freely,+And his children are in line for a blessing.
ס [Samekh]
27 Turn away from bad and do what is good,+And you will remain forever.
28 For Jehovah loves justice,And he will not abandon his loyal ones.+
ע [Ayin]
They will always be guarded;+But the descendants of the wicked will be done away with.+
29 The righteous will possess the earth,+And they will live forever on it.+
פ [Pe]
30 The mouth of the righteous one imparts wisdom,*And his tongue speaks about justice.+
31 The law of his God is in his heart;+His steps will not falter.+
צ [Tsade]
32 The wicked watches the righteous,Seeking to put him to death.
33 But Jehovah will not abandon him to the hand of that one+Or find him guilty when he is judged.+
ק [Qoph]
34 Hope in Jehovah and follow his way,And he will exalt you to take possession of the earth.
When the wicked are done away with,+ you will see it.+
ר [Resh]
35 I have seen the ruthless, evil manSpreading out like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.+
36 But he suddenly passed away and was gone;+I kept searching for him, and he could not be found.+
ש [Shin]
37 Take note of the blameless one,*And keep the upright one+ in sight,For the future of that man will be peaceful.+
38 But all the transgressors will be destroyed;The future of wicked people will be cut off.+
ת [Taw]
39 The salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah;+He is their fortress in the time of distress.+
40 Jehovah will help them and rescue them.+
He will rescue them from the wicked and save them,Because they take refuge in him.+
Footnotes
^ Or “show yourself heated up.”
^ Or “land.”
^ Or “Find your greatest joy.”
^ Lit., “Roll your way upon.”
^ Or “patiently.”
^ Or possibly, “Do not become upset, for it can only lead to harm.”
^ Or “string.”
^ Lit., “the days of the blameless.”
^ Or “showing favor.”
^ Or “makes firm.”
^ Or “with His hand.”
^ Or “food.”
^ Or “utters wisdom in an undertone.”
^ Or “the one who keeps integrity.”
