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Psalms 37

1 This Psalme conteineth exhortation and consolation for the weak, that are grieved at the prosperity of the wicked, and the affliction of the godly. 7 For how prosperously soever the wicked do live for the time, he doeth affirm their felicitie to be vain and transitory, because they are not in the favour of God, but in the end they are destroyed as his enemies, 11 And how miserably that the righteous semeth to live in the world, yet his end is peace, and he is in the favour of God, he is delivered from the wicked and preserved.
1.Freate not athy self because of the wicked men, neither be envious for the evil doers.
2.For they shal soon be bcut down like grass, and shal wither as the green herb.
3.cTrust thou in the Lord and do good: dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed assuredly.
4.And delite thy self in the Lord, and he shal give thee thine heart's desire.
5.dCommit thy way unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shal bring it to pass.
6.And he shal bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy ejudgement as the noon daye.
7.Wait patiently upon the Lord and hope in him: freat not thy self for him fwhich prospereth in his way: nor for the man that bringeth his enterprises to pass.
8.Cease from anger, and leave of wrath: freat not thy self galso to do evil.
9.For evil doers shalbe cut of, and they that wait upon the Lord, they shal inherit the land.
10.hTherefore yet a little while, and the wicked shal not appear, and thou shalt look after his place, and he shal not be found.
11.But *meek men shal possess the earth, and shal have their delite in the multitude of peace.
12.iThe wicked practiseth against the just, and gnasheth his teeth against him.
13.But the Lord shal laugh him to scorn: for he seeth, that his day is coming.
14.The wicked have drawn their sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15.But their sword shal enter into their own heart, and their bows shal be broken.
16.kA small thing unto the just man is better, then great riches to the wicked and mighty.
17.For the arms of the wicked shalbe broken: but the Lord upholdeth the just men.
18.The Lord lknoweth the dayes of upright men, and their inheritance shalbe perpetual.
19.They shal not be confounded in the perilous time, and in the days of famine they shal have mynough.
20.But the wicked shal perish, and the enemies of the Lord shalbe consumed as the nfat of lambs: even with the smoke shal they consume away.
21.The wicked boroweth and payeth not again: but the righteous is merciful, and ogiveth.
22.For such as be blessed of God, shal inherit the land, and they that be cursed of him, shalbe cut of.
23.pThe paths of man are directed by the Lord: for he loveth his way.
24.Though he qfall, he shal not be cast of: for the Lord putteth under his hand.
25.I have been young and am old: yet I saw never the righteous forsaken, nor his rseed begging bread.
26.But he is ever merciful and lendeth, and his seed enjoyeth the blessing.
27.Flee from evil and do good, and dwell for ever.
28.For the Lord loveth judgement, and forsaketh not his Saints: they shalbe preserved for evermore: but the seed of the wicked shalbe cut off.
29.The righteous men shal inherit the land, and dwell therein sfor ever.
30.The tmouth of the righteous wil speak of wisdom, and his tongue wil talk of judgement.
31.For the Law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shal not slide.
32.The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seketh to slay him.
33.But the Lord wil not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him, when he is ujudged.
34.Wait thou on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shal exalt thee, and thou shalt inherit the land: when the wicked men shal perish, thou shalt see.
35.I have seen the wicked strong, and spreading him self like a green bay tree.
36.Yet he xpassed away, and lo, he was gone, and I sought him, but he could not be found.
37.yMark the upright man, and behold the just: for the end of that man is peace.
38.But the transgressors shalbe destroyed together, and the end of the wicked shalbe cut off.
39.But the zsalvation of the righteous men shalbe of the Lord: he shalbe their strength in the time of trouble.
40.For the Lord shal help them, and deliver them: he shal deliver them from the wicked, and shal save them, because they trust in him.

Notes

1-a.
He admonishes us neither to vex ourselves for the prosperous estate of the wicked, neither to desire to be like them to make our state the better.
2-b.
For God's judgement cuts down their state in a moment.
3-c.
To trust in God, and do according to his will, are sure tokens, that his providence will never fail us.
5-d.
Be not led by your own wisdom, but obey God, and he will finish his work in you.
6-e.
As the hope of the daylight causes us not to be offended with the darkness of the night: so ought we patiently to trust that God will clear our cause and restore us to our right.
7-f.
When God suffers the wicked to prosper, it seems to the flesh that he favours their doings.
8-g.
Meaning, except he moderate his affections, he shall be led to do as they do.
10-h.
He corrects the impatience of our nature, which cannot abide till the fullness of God's time be come.
11-*.
Mat. 5.5.
12-i.
The godly are assured that the power and craft of the wicked shall not prevail against them, but fall on their own necks, and therefore ought patiently to abide God's time, and in the mean while bewail their sins, and offer up their tears as a sacrifice of their obedience.
16-k.
For they are daily fed as with Manna from heaven, and have sufficient, when the wicked have never enough, but ever hunger.
18-l.
God knows what dangers hang over his and by what means to deliver them.
19-m.
For God will give them contented minds, and that which shall be necessary.
20-n.
They shall vanish away suddenly: for they are fed for the day of slaughter.
21-o.
God so furnishes him with his blessing that he is able to help others.
23-p.
God prospers the faithful, because they walk in his ways with an upright conscience.
24-q.
When God does exercise his faith with divers tentations.
25-r.
Though the just man die, yet God's blessings are extended to his posterity, and though God suffer some just man to lack temporal benefits, yet he recompenses him with spiritual treasures.
29-s.
They shall continually be preserved under God's wings, and have at length inward rest.
30-t.
These three points are required of the faithful, that their talk be godly, that God's Law be in their heart, and that their life be upright.
33-u.
For though it be sometime so expedient both for God's glory and their salvation, yet he will approve their cause, and revenge their wrong.
36-x.
So that the prosperity of the wicked is but as a cloud, which vanishes away in a moment.
37-y.
He exhorts the faithful to mark diligently the examples both of God's mercies, and also of his judgements.
39-z.
He shows that the patient hope of the godly is never in vain, but in the end has good success, though for a time God prove them by sundry tentations.