Chapter 37

The Fate of Sinners and the Reward of the Just

¹Of David.

ALEPH

Do not be provoked by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong. ^a Prv 3, 31; 23, 17; 24, 1. 24, 19 . ²Like grass they wither quickly; like green plants they wilt away. ^b Pss 90, 5–6; 102, 12; 103, 15–16; Jb 14, 2; Is 40, 7 .

BETH

³Trust in the LORD and do good that you may dwell in the land^* and live secure. ^c Ps 128, 2 . ⁴Find your delight in the LORD who will give you your heart's desire. ^d Prv 10, 24 .

GIMEL

⁵Commit your way to the LORD; trust that God will act ^e Ps 55, 23; Prv 3, 5; 16, 3 . ⁶And make your integrity shine like the dawn, your vindication like noonday. ^f Wis 5, 6; Is 58, 10 .

DALETH

⁷Be still before the LORD;wait for God. Do not be provoked by the prosperous,nor by malicious schemers.

HE

⁸Give up your anger, abandon your wrath; do not be provoked; it brings only harm. ⁹Those who do evil will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD will possess the land. ^g Ps 25, 13; Prv 2, 21; Is 57, 13 .

WAW

¹⁰Wait a little, and the wicked will be no more; look for them and they will not be there. ¹¹But the poor will possess the land, ^h Mt 5, 4 . will delight in great prosperity.

ZAYIN

¹²The wicked plot against the just and grind their teeth at them; ¹³But the LORD laughs at them, ⁱ Pss 2, 4; 59, 9; Wis 4, 18 . knowing their day is coming.

HETH

¹⁴The wicked draw their swords; they string their bows To fell the poor and oppressed, to slaughter those whose way is honest. ^j Pss 11, 2; 57, 5; 64, 4 . ¹⁵Their swords will pierce their own hearts; their bows will be broken.

TETH

¹⁶Better the poverty of the just than the great wealth of the wicked. ^k Prv 15, 16; 16, 8 . ¹⁷The arms of the wicked will be broken; the LORD will sustain the just.

YODH

¹⁸The LORD watches over the days of the blameless; their heritage lasts forever. ¹⁹They will not be disgraced when times are hard; in days of famine they will have plenty.

KAPH

²⁰The wicked perish, the enemies of the LORD; Like the beauty of meadows they vanish; like smoke they disappear. ^l Wis 5, 14 .

LAMEDH

²¹The wicked borrow but do not repay; the just are generous in giving. ²²For those blessed by the Lord will possess the land, but those accursed will be cut off.

MEM

²³Those whose steps are guided by the LORD; ^m Prv 20, 24 . whose way God approves, ²⁴May stumble, but they will never fall, for the LORD holds their hand.

NUN

²⁵Neither in my youth, nor now in old age have I ever seen the just abandoned ⁿ Jb 4, 7; Sir 2, 10 . or their children begging bread. ²⁶The just always lend generously, and their children become a blessing.

SAMEKH

²⁷Turn from evil and do good, that you may inhabit the land forever. ^o Ps 34, 14–15; Am 5, 14 . ²⁸For the LORD loves justice and does not abandon the faithful.

AYIN

When the unjust are destroyed, and the children of the wicked cut off, ²⁹The just will possess the land and live in it forever. ^p Ps 25, 13; Prv 2, 21; Is 57, 13 .

PE

³⁰The mouths of the just utter wisdom; ^q Prv 10, 31 . their tongues speak what is right. ³¹God's teaching is in their hearts; ^r Ps 40, 9; Dt 6, 6; Is 51, 7; Jer 31, 33 . their steps do not falter.

SADHE

³²The wicked spy on the just and seek to kill them. ³³But the LORD does not leave the just in their power, nor let them be condemned when tried.

QOPH

³⁴Wait eagerly for the LORD, and keep to the way; ^s Ps 31, 24 . God will raise you to possess the land; you will gloat when the wicked are cut off.

RESH

³⁵I have seen ruthless scoundrels, strong as flourishing cedars. ^t Ps 92, 8–9; Is 2, 13; Ez 31, 10–11 . ³⁶When I passed by again, they were gone; though I searched, they could not be found.

SHIN

³⁷Observe the honest, mark the upright; those at peace with God have a future. ^u Prv 23, 18; 24, 14 . ³⁸But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.

TAW

³⁹The salvation of the just is from the LORD, their refuge in time of distress. ^v Ps 9, 10; Is 25, 4 . ⁴⁰The LORD helps and rescues them, rescues and saves them from the wicked, because in God they take refuge.