Psalm 37
Psalm 37 is the 37th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 36. In Latin, it is known as Noli aemulari in malignantibus. The psalm has the form of an acrostic Hebrew poem, and is thought to have been written by David in his old age.
The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has inspired hymns based on it, and has been [|set to music], by Baroque composers such as Heinrich Schütz as well as romantic composers such as Anton Bruckner.
Interpretation
Psalm 37 is a response to the problem of evil, which the Old Testament often expresses as a question: why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer? In the New American Bible, Revised Edition, published by the Catholic Church in the USA, the psalm answers that this situation is only temporary: God will reverse things, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked here on earth. This interpretation is shared by Protestants. Matthew Henry calls it David's call to patience and confidence in God by the state of the godly and the wicked. Charles Spurgeon calls it "the great riddle of the prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the righteous".It is written as an acrostic and divided into discrete sections. Each section ends with God's resolution of the question.
The psalm has also been understood as a prayer of the persecuted who has taken refuge in the temple or figuratively of refuge in God. The psalm concludes with a plea to God for those who honor him, to bless them with his justice and to protect them from the snares of the wicked.
The theme of inheriting the land reoccurs five times in this Psalm. Prior to this in Psalm 25:13 the rich as also said to inherit the land as well. Albert Barnes also compares the wicked being cut off in psalm 37:2 and 10 with the wicked being cut off in Psalm 73:27.
The Dead Sea Scrolls contain commentary on the psalm, seeing prophecy of contemporary events to the community in Qumran during the late Second Temple period within it, including references to the Teacher of Righteousness.
Uses
New Testament
The Beatitudes in the New Testament are influenced by this psalm. Verse 11 was cited by Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:5. The original reads,Judaism
- Verse 21 is found in Pirkei Avot Chapter 2, no. 14.
- Verse 25 is part of the final paragraph of Birkat Hamazon.
Book of Common Prayer
Islam
"The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever" is referenced in the Qur'an:Musical settings
wrote a setting of a paraphrase of Psalm 37 in German, "Erzürn dich nicht so sehre", SWV 134, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628. Verses 30–31 in Latin were set by Anton Bruckner as "Os Justi" in 1879. British composer Clara Ross used Psalm 37 as the text for her song “Fret Not Thyself.”Illuminated manuscripts
Text
The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels, alongside the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint and the English translation from the King James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and the Masoretic Text come from different textual traditions. In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 36.| # | Hebrew | English | Greek |
| 1 | Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. | Τῷ Δαυΐδ. - ΜΗ ΠΑΡΑΖΗΛΟΥ ἐν πονηρευομένοις μηδὲ ζήλου τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν· | |
| 2 | For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. | ὅτι ὡσεὶ χόρτος ταχὺ ἀποξηρανθήσονται καὶ ὡσεὶ λάχανα χλόης ταχὺ ἀποπεσοῦνται. | |
| 3 | Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. | ἔλπισον ἐπὶ Κύριον καὶ ποίει χρηστότητα καὶ κατασκήνου τὴν γῆν, καὶ ποιμανθήσῃ ἐπὶ τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτῆς. | |
| 4 | Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. | κατατρύφησον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ δώσει σοι τὰ αἰτήματα τῆς καρδίας σου. | |
| 5 | Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. | ἀποκάλυψον πρὸς Κύριον τὴν ὁδόν σου καὶ ἔλπισον ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς ποιήσει | |
| 6 | And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. | καὶ ἐξοίσει ὡς φῶς τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου καὶ τὸ κρῖμά σου ὡς μεσημβρίαν. | |
| 7 | Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. | ὑποτάγηθι τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἱκέτευσον αὐτόν· μὴ παραζήλου ἐν τῷ κατευοδουμένῳ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ ποιοῦντι παρανομίαν. | |
| 8 | Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. | παῦσαι ἀπὸ ὀργῆς καὶ ἐγκατάλιπε θυμόν, μὴ παραζήλου ὥστε πονηρεύεσθαι· | |
| 9 | For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. | ὅτι οἱ πονηρευόμενοι ἐξολοθρευθήσονται, οἱ δὲ ὑπομένοντες τὸν Κύριον αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι γῆν. | |
| 10 | For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. | καὶ ἔτι ὀλίγον καὶ οὐ μὴ ὑπάρξῃ ὁ ἁμαρτωλός, καὶ ζητήσεις τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃς· | |
| 11 | But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. | οἱ δὲ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσι γῆν καὶ κατατρυφήσουσιν ἐπὶ πλήθει εἰρήνης. | |
| 12 | The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. | παρατηρήσεται ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς τὸν δίκαιον καὶ βρύξει ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ· | |
| 13 | The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. | ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐκγελάσεται αὐτόν, ὅτι προβλέπει ὅτι ἥξει ἡ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ. | |
| 14 | The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. | ῥομφαίαν ἐσπάσαντο οἱ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἐνέτειναν τόξον αὐτῶν τοῦ καταβαλεῖν πτωχὸν καὶ πένητα, τοῦ σφάξαι τοὺς εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ· | |
| 15 | Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. | ἡ ρομφαία αὐτῶν εἰσέλθοι εἰς τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τόξα αὐτῶν συντριβείη. | |
| 16 | A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. | κρεῖσσον ὀλίγον τῷ δικαίῳ ὑπὲρ πλοῦτον ἁμαρτωλῶν πολύν· | |
| 17 | For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. | ὅτι βραχίονες ἁμαρτωλῶν συντριβήσονται, ὑποστηρίζει δὲ δικαίους ὁ Κύριος. | |
| 18 | The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. | γινώσκει Κύριος τὰς ὁδοὺς τῶν ἀμώμων, καὶ ἡ κληρονομία αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔσται· | |
| 19 | They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. | οὐ καταισχυνθήσονται ἐν καιρῷ πονηρῷ καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις λιμοῦ χορτασθήσονται. | |
| 20 | But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. | ὅτι οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, οἱ δὲ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἅμα τῷ δοξασθῆναι αὐτοὺς καὶ ὑψωθῆναι ἐκλείποντες ὡσεὶ καπνὸς ἐξέλιπον. | |
| 21 | The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. | δανείζεται ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς καὶ οὐκ ἀποτίσει, ὁ δὲ δίκαιος οἰκτείρει καὶ δίδωσιν· | |
| 22 | For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. | ὅτι οἱ εὐλογοῦντες αὐτὸν κληρονομήσουσι γῆν, οἱ δὲ καταρώμενοι αὐτὸν ἐξολοθρευθήσονται. | |
| 23 | The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. | παρὰ Κυρίου τὰ διαβήματα ἀνθρώπου κατευθύνεται, καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ θελήσει σφόδρα· | |
| 24 | Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. | ὅταν πέσῃ, οὐ καταῤῥαχθήσεται, ὅτι Κύριος ἀντιστηρίζει χεῖρα αὐτοῦ. | |
| 25 | I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. | νεώτερος ἐγενόμην καὶ γὰρ ἐγήρασα καὶ οὐκ εἶδον δίκαιον ἐγκαταλελειμμένον, οὐδὲ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ζητοῦν ἄρτους· | |
| 26 | He is ever merciful, and bendeth; and his seed is blessed. | ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐλεεῖ καὶ δανείζει ὁ δίκαιος, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ εἰς εὐλογίαν ἔσται. | |
| 27 | Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. | ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθὸν καὶ κατασκήνου εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος· | |
| 28 | For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. | ὅτι Κύριος ἀγαπᾷ κρίσιν καὶ οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει τοὺς ὁσίους αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα φυλαχθήσονται· ἄνομοι δὲ ἐκδιωχθήσονται, καὶ σπέρμα ἀσεβῶν ἐξολοθρευθήσεται. | |
| 29 | The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. | δίκαιοι δὲ κληρονομήσουσι γῆν καὶ κατασκηνώσουσιν εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς. | |
| 30 | The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. | στόμα δικαίου μελετήσει σοφίαν, καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ λαλήσει κρίσιν. | |
| 31 | The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. | ὁ νόμος τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐχ ὑποσκελισθήσεται τὰ διαβήματα αὐτοῦ. | |
| 32 | The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. | κατανοεῖ ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς τὸν δίκαιον καὶ ζητεῖ τοῦ θανατῶσαι αὐτόν, | |
| 33 | The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. | ὁ δὲ Κύριος οὐ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃ αὐτὸν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ μὴ καταδικάσηται αὐτόν, ὅταν κρίνηται αὐτῷ. | |
| 34 | Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. | ὑπόμεινον τὸν Κύριον καὶ φύλαξον τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑψώσει σε τοῦ κατακληρονομῆσαι γῆν· ἐν τῷ ἐξολοθρεύεσθαι ἁμαρτωλοὺς ὄψει. | |
| 35 | I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. | εἶδον τὸν ἀσεβῆ ὑπερυψούμενον καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον ὡς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου· | |
| 36 | Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. | καὶ παρῆλθον, καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν, καὶ ἐζήτησα αὐτόν, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ὁ τόπος αὐτοῦ. | |
| 37 | Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. | φύλασσε ἀκακίαν καὶ ἴδε εὐθύτητα, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἐγκατάλειμμα ἀνθρώπῳ εἰρηνικῷ· | |
| 38 | But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. | οἱ δὲ παράνομοι ἐξολοθρευθήσονται ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματα τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐξολοθρευθήσονται. | |
| 39 | But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. | σωτηρία δὲ τῶν δικαίων παρὰ Κυρίου, καὶ ὑπερασπιστὴς αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως, | |
| 40 | And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. | καὶ βοηθήσει αὐτοῖς Κύριος καὶ ῥύσεται αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐξελεῖται αὐτοὺς ἐξ ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ σώσει αὐτούς, ὅτι ἤλπισαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. |