Psalm 37 HCSB
Instruction in Wisdom
1Doa not be agitated by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.b
2For they wither quickly like grass
and wilt like tender green plants.c
3Trust in the LORD and do what is good;d
dwell in the land and live securely.e, f
and He will give you your heart’s desires.g
trust in Him, and He will act,h
6making your righteousness shine like the dawn,
your justice like the noonday.i
7Be silent before the LORD and wait expectantly for Him;j
do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,
by the man who carries out evil plans.k
8Refrain from anger and give up your rage;
do not be agitated — it can only bring harm.l
9For evildoers will be destroyed,
but those who put their hope in the LORD
10A little while, and the wicked person will be no more;
though you look for him, he will not be there.o
11But the humble will inherit the landp, q
and will enjoy abundant prosperity.r
12The wicked person schemes against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him.s
because He sees that his day is coming.u
14The wicked have drawn the sword and strung thev bow
to bring down the afflicted and needy
and to slaughter those whose way is upright.w
15Their swords will enter their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.x
16The little that the righteous man has is better
than the abundance of many wicked people.y
17For the armsz of the wicked will be broken,aa
but the LORD supports the righteous.ab
18The LORD watches over the blameless all their days,
and their inheritance will last forever.ac
19They will not be disgraced in times of adversity;
they will be satisfied in days of hunger.ad
the LORD’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures,
they will fade away like smoke.ae
21The wicked man borrows and does not repay,
but the righteous one is gracious and giving.af
22Those who are blessed by Him will inherit the land,ag
but those cursed by Him will be destroyed.ah
23A man’s steps are established by the LORD,
and He takes pleasure in his way.ai
24Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,
because the LORD holds his hand.aj, ak
25I have been young and now I am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned
or his children begging for bread.al
26He is always generous, always lending,
and his children are a blessing.am
27Turn away from evil and do what is good,
and will not abandon His faithful ones.ap
but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.aq
29The righteous will inherit the landar
and dwell in it permanently.as
30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;
his tongue speaks what is just.at
31The instruction of his God is in his heart;
32The wicked one lies in wait for the righteous
in the power of the wicked one
or allow him to be condemned when he is judged.aw
34Wait for the LORD and keep His way,
and He will exalt you to inherit the land.
You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.ax
35I have seen a wicked, violent man
well-rooteday like a flourishing native tree.az
36Then I passed by andba noticed he was gone;
I searched for him, but he could not be found.bb
37Watch the blameless and observe the upright,
for the man of peace will have a future.bc, bd
38But transgressors will all be eliminated;
the futurebe of the wicked will be destroyed.bf
39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD,
their refuge in a time of distress.bg
40The LORD helps and delivers them;
He will deliver them from the wicked and will save them
because they take refuge in Him.bh
Footnotes:
a. 37:1 The lines of this poem form an •acrostic.
b. 37:1 Ps 73:3; Pr 3:31; 23:17; 24:19
c. 37:2 Ps 92:7; 129:6; Jms 1:11
d. 37:3 Ps 62:8
e. 37:3 Or and cultivate faithfulness
f. 37:3 Pr 2:21
g. 37:4 Ps 21:2; 145:19; Is 58:14
h. 37:5 Ps 55:22; Pr 16:3; 1Pt 5:7
i. 37:6 Ps 97:11; Is 58:8,10
j. 37:7 Ps 40:1; Lm 3:26
k. 37:7 Jr 12:1
l. 37:8 Eph 4:31; Col 3:8
m. 37:9 Or earth
n. 37:9 Pr 2:21; Is 57:13; 60:21
o. 37:10 Jb 7:10; 24:24; Ps 37:35-36
p. 37:11 Or earth
q. 37:11 Mt 5:5
r. 37:11 Ps 72:7
s. 37:12 Ps 31:13,20; 35:16
t. 37:13 Ps 2:4; 59:8; Hab 1:10
u. 37:13 1Sm 26:10
v. 37:14 Lit their
w. 37:14 Ps 11:2; Lm 2:4
x. 37:15 1Sm 2:4; Ps 46:9
y. 37:16 Pr 15:16; 16:8
z. 37:17 Or power
aa. 37:17 Ps 10:15
ab. 37:17 Ps 145:14
ac. 37:18 Ps 1:6
ad. 37:19 Jb 5:20; Ps 33:19
ae. 37:20 Ps 68:2; Hs 13:3
af. 37:21 Ps 112:5,9
ag. 37:22 Or earth
ah. 37:22 Pr 3:33
ai. 37:23 1Sm 2:9; Ps 66:9
aj. 37:24 Or Lord supports with His hand
ak. 37:24 Ps 145:14; Pr 24:16; Mc 7:8
al. 37:25 Is 41:17
am. 37:26 Dt 15:8; Ps 112:5,9; Mt 5:42
an. 37:27 = dwell in the land
ao. 37:27 Ps 34:14; 102:28
ap. 37:28 Dt 31:6; Heb 13:5
aq. 37:28 Ps 21:10; Pr 2:22
ar. 37:29 Or earth
as. 37:29 Pr 2:21; Is 60:21
at. 37:30 Ps 49:3; 119:13; Pr 10:13
au. 37:31 Dt 6:6; Ps 40:8; 119:11
av. 37:32 Ps 10:8; 17:11
aw. 37:33 Ps 34:22; 109:31; 2Pt 2:9
ax. 37:34 Ps 27:14; 52:5-6; 91:8
ay. 37:35 Hb obscure
az. 37:35 Jb 5:3; Jr 12:2
ba. 37:36 DSS, LXX, Syr, Vg, Jer; MT reads Then he passed away, and I
bb. 37:36 Jb 20:5
bc. 37:37 Or posterity
bd. 37:37 Is 57:1-2
be. 37:38 Or posterity
bf. 37:38 Ps 1:4-6; Pr 2:22
bg. 37:39 Ps 3:8; 9:9; 62:1
bh. 37:40 Ps 22:4; 34:22; 54:4