Psalm 37

CLICK HERE to Print Notes

 Of  David.

1-6      [א] Fret not yourself because of evildoers, nor be envious of wrongdoers. ² For they will soon wither like the grass and fade like the green herb. ³ [ב] Trust in Adonai, and do good. Dwell on the earth and shepherd faith. ⁴ [ג] Delight yourself in Adonai, and He will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Turn over your path to Adonai; trust in Him, and He will act. ⁶ He will lead forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

7-11     [ד] Be silent before Adonai and wait with longing for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil schemes. ⁸ [ה] Let go of anger, and forsake wrath. Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. ⁹For evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in Adonai shall inherit the earth. ¹⁰ [ו] In just a little while, the wicked will be no more. You will look carefully at his place – he will not be there. ¹¹ But the humble/afflicted shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in abundant peace.

והתחולל (v’hit’cholel)

12-15   [ז] The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, ¹³ but the Master laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. ¹⁴ [ח] The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright. ¹⁵  Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16-22     [ט] Better is the little that the righteous has than the noisy abundance of many wicked. ¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Adonai upholds the righteous. ¹⁸ [י] Adonai knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever. ¹⁹ They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they have abundance. ²⁰ [כ] But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Adonai, like the fat of rams, vanish – like smoke they vanish away. ²¹ [ל] The wicked borrows but does not repay, but the righteous is generous and gives. ²² For those He blesses shall inherit the earth, but those He curses shall be cut off.

23-26     [מ] The steps of a man are established by Adonai, when He delights in his way. ²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be cast down, for Adonai upholds his hand. ²⁵ [נ] I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen a righteous man forsaken or his children begging for bread. ²⁶ He is ever lending generously, and his seed become a blessing.

27-34     [ס] Turn away from evil and do good and so shall you dwell forever. -[ע]?- ²⁸  For Adonai loves justice and He will not forsake his holy ones. They are guarded forever, but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. ²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the earth and dwell upon it forever. ³⁰ [פ] The mouth of the righteous man utters/meditates wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. ³¹ God’s Torah is in his heart – his steps do not slip. ³² [צ] The wicked watches the righteous man and seeks to put him to death. ³³ Adonai will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is judged. ³⁴ [ק] Hope for Adonai and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the earth; you will see the wicked cut off.

35-40     [ר] I have seen a wicked, ruthless man spreading himself like a green laurel tree. ³⁶ But he passed away, and behold, he was no more. Though I sought him, he could not be found. ³⁷ [ש] Watch the blameless, behold the upright, for the man of peace has a future. ³⁸ But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed, the future of the wicked shall be cut off. ³⁹ [ת] The rescue of the righteous is from Adonai, their stronghold in time of distress.

⁴⁰ Adonai helps them and frees them, 

He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, 

because they take refuge in Him.

REFERENCES:

 Verses 1,7,8

Proverbs 24:19-20  Do not fret (אל תתחר, al tit’char) yourself because of evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future. The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

Verse 5

1 Peter 5:6-7  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.

Verse 7

Exodus 15:20  Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.

Psalm 30:11  You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.

We must regard every new situation in our lives as an exercise that is part of the general course of training which God has prepared for us. (R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch)

Job 36:22  “Behold, God is exalted in His power; who is a teacher like Him?”

Verses 9,11,22,29,34

Matthew 5:5  “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Verse 13

Psalm 2:4  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.