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Psalm 37[a]

A song of David.

Don’t be worried with evil workers
    or envy the gains of people with all-wrong-upside-down ways.
Soon enough they will wither like grass,
    like green herbs fading in summer’s heat.

Believe in the Eternal, and do what is good—
    live in the land He provides; roam, and rest in God’s faithfulness.
Take great joy in the Eternal!
    His gifts are coming, and they are all your heart desires!

Commit your path to the Eternal; let Him direct you.
    Put your confidence in Him, and He will follow through with you.
He will spread out righteousness for you
    as a sunrise spreads radiance over the land;
    He will deliver justice for you into the light of the high sun.

Be still. Be patient. Expect the Eternal to arrive and set things right.
    Don’t get upset when you see the worldly ones rising up the ladder.
    Don’t be bothered by those who are anchored in wicked ways.

So turn from anger. Don’t rage,
    and don’t worry—these ways frame the doorway to evil.
Besides, those who act from evil motives will be cut off from the land;
    but those who wait, hoping in the Eternal, will enjoy its riches.

10 You’ll see . . . the wicked won’t know what hit them;
    you’ll blink, and they’ll be gone;
    you’ll go out looking for them, but you won’t find them.
11 But the humble-hearted will inherit the land;
    they will take pleasure in its peace and enjoy its abundance.

12 How that wicked man devises evil against God’s righteous ones!
    He grits his teeth, consumed by hate for the upright.
13 But oh, how the Lord laughs at him!
    He knows the wicked man will get his; the day is coming.

14 The wicked unsheathe their swords, pull taut their bows;
    the poor and needy are their victims,
    and evil is on the prowl to kill those with integrity, God’s beloved.
15 But their swords will bend back to pierce their own hearts—
    yes, their bows will snap in two.

16 The righteous are better off with the little God blessed them with
    than living under the curse of the wealth of the wicked.
17 Their time is short, their arms will be broken,
    but the Eternal will hold His righteous children high.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 37 A Hebrew acrostic poem

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)

12 The wicked plot(Y) against the righteous
    and gnash their teeth(Z) at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
    for he knows their day is coming.(AA)

14 The wicked draw the sword(AB)
    and bend the bow(AC)
to bring down the poor and needy,(AD)
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,(AE)
    and their bows will be broken.(AF)

16 Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth(AG) of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,(AH)
    but the Lord upholds(AI) the righteous.

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Footnotes

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

Naomi (to Ruth): My child, it is my responsibility to find a husband and place of rest for you—a place where you will find rest and contentment. You have been working alongside the young women who serve Boaz. Is he not a part of our family? Early this evening, during the late afternoon wind, he will be on the threshing floor winnowing the barley.

They toss the stalks into the wind with a fork and watch the grain fall at their feet as the stalks blow away.

Bathe and perfume yourself. Put on your best dress, then go down onto the threshing floor. Be careful, though. Don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. Once he is relaxed, he will lie down to sleep. Make sure you notice where he is. Once he has lain down, go to him. Uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.

The Hebrew euphemism “to uncover the feet” is a sexual expression; but in this context, and in light of the honorable character of Boaz and Ruth, it is clear that she is simply making herself available for marriage.

Ruth: I will do everything you have told me to do.

So she went down to the threshing floor and followed through with everything her mother-in-law told her to do. Not much later, Boaz finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits. He made his way to the end of a pile of grain and lay down there to sleep. Then very quietly, Ruth snuck to where he was lying down. She uncovered his feet and lay down at his feet. Later, sometime in the middle of the night, Boaz was startled and woke up. When he rolled over and looked around, he discovered there was a woman lying at his feet!

Boaz: Who are you?

Ruth: I am your servant Ruth. Spread out the hem of your garment so that it covers your servant. You are a near relative of our family.

Boaz: 10 May the Eternal bless you, my daughter, for the loyal love you are showing now is even greater than what you showed before. You have not pursued a younger man—either a rich one or a poor one. 11 You may rest easy. You have nothing to fear, my child. I will do everything you ask. Everyone in this city agrees you are a woman of virtuous character. 12 You are right that I am in line as a near relative of your family. But I am not the only one, nor the most likely. There is another man who is more closely related to you than I am.

If ever a landowner needs to lease out his land for money, then his closest relative, called the “kinsman-redeemer,” is supposed to buy the land back for his relative. The same is true if a man has to sell his family members into indentured servitude—the kinsman-redeemer is to buy back the slave. This system reflects God’s relationship with Israel; God continually saves His people from subservience to other nations. Since both Naomi and Ruth are widows without male sons, they are left in poverty. Naomi will have to lease out her husband’s land to support them, and she may eventually have to sell herself and Ruth just to stay fed. By redeeming Elimelech’s land, marrying Ruth, and eventually giving her a son, Boaz keeps the family intact as it would have been had Elimelech or either of his sons survived.

Boaz: 13 Spend the rest of the night here. In the morning, I will give him the chance to act as your kinsman-redeemer and redeem you and your family. If he is willing to do this, good. But if he is not willing to fulfill his responsibility, then as the Eternal One lives, I promise I will redeem your family by marrying you. Now remain here until morning comes.

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Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi(A) said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home[a](B) for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative(C) of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor.(D) Wash,(E) put on perfume,(F) and get dressed in your best clothes.(G) Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.(H) When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

“I will do whatever you say,”(I) Ruth answered. So she went down to the threshing floor(J) and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits,(K) he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile.(L) Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

“Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment(M) over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer[b](N) of our family.”

10 “The Lord bless you,(O) my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier:(P) You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.(Q) 12 Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family,(R) there is another who is more closely related than(S) I. 13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer,(T) good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives(U) I will do it.(V) Lie here until morning.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:1 Hebrew find rest (see 1:9)
  2. Ruth 3:9 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 12 and 13.

13 Then Boaz took responsibility of Ruth, and they married. After they came together, Ruth conceived by the Eternal’s provision, and later she gave birth to a son.

Women (to Naomi): 14 Praise the Eternal One. He has not abandoned you. He did not leave you without a redeeming guardian. May your offspring become famous all through Israel. 15 May this child give you a new life. May he strengthen you and provide for you in your old age. Look at your daughter-in-law, Ruth. She loves you. This one devoted daughter is better to you than seven sons would be. She is the one who gave you this child.

16 Then Naomi held the child tightly in her arms and cared for him. 17 All around her, friends cried out, “Naomi has a son!” They named the child Obed because he would provide for his grandmother. Obed grew up and became the father of Jesse. Jesse, too, became a father one day, the father of David.

18 Here is the genealogy of Perez’s family: Perez was Hezron’s father. 19 Hezron was Ram’s father. Ram was Amminadab’s father. 20 Amminadab was Nahshon’s father. Nahshon was Salmon’s[a] father. 21 Salmon was Boaz’s father. Boaz was Obed’s father. 22 Obed was Jesse’s father. And Jesse was the father of David.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:20 Most Hebrew manuscripts read, “Salma.”

Naomi Gains a Son

13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive,(A) and she gave birth to a son.(B) 14 The women(C) said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord,(D) who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.(E) May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law,(F) who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons,(G) has given him birth.”

16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse,(H) the father of David.(I)

The Genealogy of David(J)

18 This, then, is the family line of Perez(K):

Perez was the father of Hezron,(L)

19 Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,(M)

20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon,(N)

Nahshon the father of Salmon,[a]

21 Salmon the father of Boaz,(O)

Boaz the father of Obed,

22 Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David.

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 4:20 A few Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also verse 21 and Septuagint of 1 Chron. 2:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Salma

17 The whole crowd of disciples (including the 12 now designated as His emissaries) came down together, and they stood on a level area nearby. They were joined by an even greater crowd of people who had come from across the whole region—from all of Judea, from Jerusalem, from the coastal areas of Tyre and Sidon. 18 These people came to hear Jesus teach and to be healed by Jesus of their diseases. Those who were troubled by demonic spirits were liberated.

19 Everyone wanted to touch Jesus because when they did, power emanated from Him and they were healed. 20 He looked across the faces of His disciples.

Jesus: All you who are poor, you are blessed
        for the kingdom of God belongs to you.
21     All you who are hungry now, you are blessed
        for your hunger will be satisfied.
    All you who weep now, you are blessed
        for you shall laugh!
22     When people hate you,
        when they exclude you
        and insult you
        and write you off as evil
        on account of the Son of Man, you are blessed.
23     When these things happen, rejoice! Jump for joy!
        Then you have a great reward in heaven
        For at that moment, you are experiencing what the ancient prophets did when they were similarly treated by the ancestors of your detractors.
24     All you who are rich now, you are in danger
        for you have received your comfort in full.
25     All you who are full now, you are in danger
        for you shall be hungry.
    All you who laugh now, you are in danger
        for you shall grieve and cry.
26     And when everyone speaks well of you, you are in danger
        for their ancestors spoke well of the false prophets too.

Here is Luke’s most concentrated summary of Jesus’ teachings for His followers. Here He describes what life in the kingdom of God looks like.

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Blessings and Woes(A)

17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,(B) 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him,(C) because power was coming from him and healing them all.(D)

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.(E)
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.(F)
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.(G)
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you(H) and insult you(I)
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.(J)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,(K) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.(L)

24 “But woe to you who are rich,(M)
    for you have already received your comfort.(N)
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.(O)
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.(P)
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.(Q)

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