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37 (Of Dovid) Fret not thyself because of re’im (evildoers); neither have thou kina (jealousy, envy) of the workers of iniquity.

For they shall soon be cut down like the khatzir (grass), and wither as the green desheh (herb, plant).

Trust in Hashem, and do tov; so shalt thou dwell in the Eretz (land), ure’eh emunah (and thou be pastured securely).

Delight thyself also in Hashem, and He shall give thee the desires of thine lev.

Commit thy derech (road, way) unto Hashem; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.

And He shall bring forth thy tzedakah (righteousness) as the ohr (light), and thy mishpat (justice) as the tzohorayim (noonday).

Rest in Hashem, and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his derech, because of the ish who bringeth wicked schemes to pass.

Cease from anger, and forsake chemah (wrath); fret not thyself in any wise to do rah.

For evildoers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon Hashem, they shall inherit the Eretz (land).

10 For yet a little while, and the rasha shall not be; yes, thou shalt watch his place, and he will not be.

11 But the anavim (meek ones) shall inherit Eretz; and shall delight themselves in rov shalom (great peace; see Psa 119:165).

12 The rasha plotteth against the tzaddik, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13 Adonoi shall laugh at him, for He seeth that his yom is coming.

14 The resha’im have drawn out the cherev, and have bent their keshet, to cast down the oni (poor) and evyon (needy), and to slay such as be yishrei derech (upright ones on the road, that walk uprightly).

15 Their cherev shall enter into their own lev, and their keshatot (bows) shall be broken.

16 A little that a tzaddik hath is better than the riches of resha’im rabbim.

17 For the zero’ot (arms, powers) of the resha’im shall be broken; but Hashem upholdeth the tzaddikim.

18 Hashem knoweth the yamim of the temimim (blameless ones); and their nachalah (inheritance) shall be l’olahm (forever).

19 They shall not be put to shame in time of evil; and in the days of famine yisba’u (they shall be satisfied, enjoy plenty).

20 But the resha’im shall perish, and the oyvei Hashem (enemies of Hashem) shall be like the glory of the meadows; they shall disappear like ashan (smoke), they shall vanish.

21 The rasha borroweth, and repayeth not; but the tzaddik showeth chonen (generosity), and giveth.

22 For such as be blessed of Him shall inherit Eretz; and they that be cursed of Him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a gever (man) konanu (are ordered, made firm) by Hashem and He delighteth in his derech.

24 Though he stumble, he shall not utterly fall; for Hashem upholdeth him with His yad (hand, power).

25 I have been na’ar (young), and now am old; yet I have not seen the tzaddik forsaken, nor his zera begging lechem.

26 He is ever chonen (generous, merciful; see verse 21), and lendeth; and his zera is blessed.

27 Depart from rah, and do tov; and dwell l’olahm (for evermore).

28 For Hashem loveth mishpat, and forsaketh not His chasidim; they are preserved l’olahm; but the zera resha’im shall be cut off.

29 The tzaddikim shall inherit Eretz, and dwell therein forever.

30 The mouth of the tzaddik speaketh chochmah, and his leshon uttereth mishpat.

31 The torat Elohav is in his lev; no steps of his shall slip.

32 The rashah lieth in wait to ambush the tzaddik, and seeketh to slay him.

33 Hashem will not leave him in his yad (hand, power), nor condemn him b’hishshafto (when he is judged, brought to trial).

34 Wait on Hashem, and be shomer over His Derech, and He shall exalt thee to inherit Eretz; when the resha’im are cut off, thou shalt see it.

35 I have seen the violently powerful rashah, spreading himself like an indigenous green tree.

36 Yet he passed away, and, hinei, he was no more; yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the yashar (upright); for the end of that ish is shalom.

38 But the poshe’im (rebels, transgressors) shall be made shmad together; the latter end [i.e., future] of the resha’im shall be cut off.

39 But the Teshu’at Tzaddikim is of Hashem; He is their ma’oz (stronghold, refuge) in the time of tzoros.

40 And Hashem helps them, and delivers them; He shall deliver them from the resha’im, and save them, because they take refuge in Him.

Psalm 37[a]

Of David.

Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious(A) of those who do wrong;(B)
for like the grass they will soon wither,(C)
    like green plants they will soon die away.(D)

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land(E) and enjoy safe pasture.(F)
Take delight(G) in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.(H)

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him(I) and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward(J) shine like the dawn,(K)
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still(L) before the Lord
    and wait patiently(M) for him;
do not fret(N) when people succeed in their ways,(O)
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.(P)

Refrain from anger(Q) and turn from wrath;
    do not fret(R)—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,(S)
    but those who hope(T) in the Lord will inherit the land.(U)

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;(V)
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land(W)
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.(X)

12 The wicked plot(Y) against the righteous
    and gnash their teeth(Z) at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
    for he knows their day is coming.(AA)

14 The wicked draw the sword(AB)
    and bend the bow(AC)
to bring down the poor and needy,(AD)
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,(AE)
    and their bows will be broken.(AF)

16 Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth(AG) of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,(AH)
    but the Lord upholds(AI) the righteous.

18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,(AJ)
    and their inheritance will endure forever.(AK)
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
    in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:(AL)
    Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
    they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.(AM)

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
    but the righteous give generously;(AN)
22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
    but those he curses(AO) will be destroyed.(AP)

23 The Lord makes firm the steps(AQ)
    of the one who delights(AR) in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,(AS)
    for the Lord upholds(AT) him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken(AU)
    or their children begging(AV) bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;(AW)
    their children will be a blessing.[b](AX)

27 Turn from evil and do good;(AY)
    then you will dwell in the land forever.(AZ)
28 For the Lord loves the just
    and will not forsake his faithful ones.(BA)

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed[c];
    the offspring of the wicked will perish.(BB)
29 The righteous will inherit the land(BC)
    and dwell in it forever.(BD)

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,(BE)
    and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;(BF)
    their feet do not slip.(BG)

32 The wicked lie in wait(BH) for the righteous,(BI)
    intent on putting them to death;
33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
    or let them be condemned(BJ) when brought to trial.(BK)

34 Hope in the Lord(BL)
    and keep his way.(BM)
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
    when the wicked are destroyed,(BN) you will see(BO) it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
    flourishing(BP) like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
    though I looked for him, he could not be found.(BQ)

37 Consider the blameless,(BR) observe the upright;(BS)
    a future awaits those who seek peace.[d](BT)
38 But all sinners(BU) will be destroyed;(BV)
    there will be no future[e] for the wicked.(BW)

39 The salvation(BX) of the righteous comes from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.(BY)
40 The Lord helps(BZ) them and delivers(CA) them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves(CB) them,
    because they take refuge(CC) in him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 37:26 Or freely; / the names of their children will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or freely; / others will see that their children are blessed
  3. Psalm 37:28 See Septuagint; Hebrew They will be protected forever
  4. Psalm 37:37 Or upright; / those who seek peace will have posterity
  5. Psalm 37:38 Or posterity