Psalms 37
1 Do not be bothered/upset by what wicked [people do]. Do not desire to have the things that people who do wrong/evil have,
A psalm of David. Don't be upset over wicked people, or be jealous of those who do wrong.
2 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.
For like grass, they will quickly dry up; like plants, they will soon wither away.
3 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].
Trust in the Lord, and do good. Live in the land and feed on faithfulness.
4 Be delighted with all that Yahweh [does for you]; if you do that, he will give you the things that you desire most.
Find your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you what you want the most.
5 Commit to Yahweh all the things that you plan to do; trust in him, and he will do [whatever is needed to help you].
Entrust all that you do to the Lord. Place your confidence in him and he will help you.
6 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.
He will make your vindication shine like a light, the rightness of your cause like the noonday sun.
7 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.
Be still in God's presence; wait patiently for him. Don't be upset over people who prosper when they carry out their evil schemes.
8 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].
Give up your anger! Let go your rage! Don't get mad—it only results in evil!
9 [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].
For the wicked will be destroyed, and those who trust in the Lord will take possession of the land.
10 Soon the wicked will disappear. If you look for them, they will be gone.
In a little while the wicked will be no more—though you look for them you won't find them.
11 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].
The humble will own the land; they will live there happily, in peace and prosperity.
12 Wicked people plan to harm righteous/godly people; they snarl at them [MET] [like wild animals].
The wicked plot evil against those who do good, gnashing their teeth at them.
13 But Yahweh laughs [at them] because he knows that some day [MTY] [he will judge and punish] the wicked people.
But the Lord laughs at them, for he sees their coming day of judgment.
14 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.
The wicked draw their swords, and bend their bows to destroy the poor and needy, to kill those who live right.
15 But they will be killed by their own swords/daggers, and their bows will be broken.
But the swords of the wicked will slice through their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 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,
It's better to do right and only have a little, than to be wicked and rich.
17 because [Yahweh] will completely take away the strength of wicked people, but he will (sustain/take care of) people who live righteously.
For the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord supports those who do right.
18 Every day Yahweh cares about those who have not done any evil things; the things that Yahweh gives them will last forever.
The Lord knows what is happening to the innocent and grants them an eternal inheritance.
19 They will survive when calamities occur; when there are famines, they will still have plenty to eat.
They will not be humiliated in bad times; even in days of famine they will have plenty to eat.
20 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.
But the wicked will die. The enemies of the Lord are like the flowers of the field—they will vanish like smoke.
21 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].
The wicked borrow, but don't repay; while those who do right give generously.
22 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.
Those who are blessed by God will own the land, but those he curses will die.
23 Yahweh protects those who do what is pleasing to him, and he will enable them to walk confidently, wherever they go;
The Lord shows the right path to those who follow him, and is happy with the way they live.
24 even if they stumble, they will not fall down, because Yahweh holds them by his hand.
Though they may trip up, they will not fall to the ground, for the Lord holds their hand.
25 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.
Once I was young, and now I've grown old, yet I've never seen those who do right abandoned, nor their children having to beg for bread.
26 Righteous/Godly people are generous, and happily lend [money to others], and their children are a blessing to them.
They are always kind, and generous with their loans; their children are a blessing.
27 Turn away from [doing] evil, and do what is good. If you do that, you [and your descendants] will live in your land forever.
Reject evil, do what is good, and you will live forever in the land.
28 [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.
For the Lord loves fairness and he will never abandon those who are trustworthy. He will protect them forever. But the children of the wicked will die.
29 Righteous/Godly people will own the land [that Yahweh promised to give to them], and they will live there forever.
Those who do right will own the land and will live there forever.
30 Righteous people give wise [advice to others], and they [MTY] say what is just/fair.
People who do right give good advice, explaining what is fair.
31 They continually think about God’s laws; they do not stray from [God’s] path.
God's law lives in their minds, so they will not slip from his way.
32 Those who are evil wait in ambush for righteous people in order to kill them [as they walk by].
The wicked lie in wait for those who do good, intending to kill them.
33 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].
But the Lord will not let them fall into the hands of the wicked, and he will not let those who do good be condemned when they are put on trial.
34 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.
Trust in the Lord, and stay on his path. He will lift you up and give you the land to own. You will see when the wicked are destroyed.
35 I have seen that wicked people who (act like tyrants/terrify people) [sometimes] prosper, like trees that grow well in fertile soil,
I have watched the wicked acting brutally, spreading like a large tree in its native land.
36 when I looked [later], they were gone! I searched for them, but [Yahweh had caused] them to disappear.
But when I passed that way the next time, they were gone. I searched for them but couldn't find them.
37 Notice the people who have not done evil things, those who act righteously: their descendants will have peace in their inner beings.
Observe the innocent, look at those who do right! Those who love peace have a future!
38 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).
But those who are rebellious will be altogether destroyed; the wicked have no future.
39 Yahweh rescues righteous people; in times of trouble he protects them [MET].
The Lord saves those who live right; he is their protection in times of trouble.
40 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].
The Lord helps them and rescues them from the wicked. He saves them because they go to him for protection.
