Add parallel Print Page Options

Psalm 37

Exhortation to Patience and Trust

Of David.

Do not fret because of the wicked;
    do not be envious of wrongdoers,(A)
for they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb.(B)

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    live in the land and enjoy security.(C)
Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.(D)

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.(E)
He will make your vindication shine like the light
    and the justice of your cause like the noonday.(F)

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
    do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
    over those who carry out evil devices.(G)

Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.
    Do not fret—it leads only to evil.(H)
For the wicked shall be cut off,
    but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.(I)

10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
    though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.(J)
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
    and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.(K)

Read full chapter

Psalm 37[a]

Of David.

Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious(A) of those who do wrong;(B)
for like the grass they will soon wither,(C)
    like green plants they will soon die away.(D)

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land(E) and enjoy safe pasture.(F)
Take delight(G) in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.(H)

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him(I) and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward(J) shine like the dawn,(K)
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still(L) before the Lord
    and wait patiently(M) for him;
do not fret(N) when people succeed in their ways,(O)
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.(P)

Refrain from anger(Q) and turn from wrath;
    do not fret(R)—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,(S)
    but those who hope(T) in the Lord will inherit the land.(U)

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;(V)
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land(W)
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.(X)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Judging Others

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.(A) For the judgment you give will be the judgment you get, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

Profaning the Holy

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.(B)

Ask, Search, Knock

“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.(C) For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.(D) Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? 10 Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? 11 If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

12 “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.(E)

The Narrow Gate

13 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.(F) 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 7.13 Other ancient authorities read for the road is wide and easy

Judging Others(A)

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.(B) For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.(C)

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock(D)

“Ask and it will be given to you;(E) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;(F) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts(G) to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,(H) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.(I)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate.(J) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Read full chapter

Hearers and Doers

24 “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.(A) 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these words, the crowds were astounded at his teaching,(B) 29 for he taught them as one having authority and not as their scribes.

Read full chapter

The Wise and Foolish Builders(A)

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice(B) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(C) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,(D) 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Read full chapter