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The Book of Psalms

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- Chapter 37 -

Rejoice in the Lord

(1 Kings 2:1-9)
1
A Psalm of David himself. Do not choose to imitate the malicious; neither should you envy those who work iniquity.
2
For they will quickly wither away like dry grass, and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop.(a)
3
Hope in the Lord and do good, and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches.
4
Delight in the Lord, and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart.
5
Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will accomplish it.
6
And he will bring forth your justice like the light, and your judgment like the midday.
7
Be subject to the Lord and pray to him. Do not choose to compete with him who prospers in his way, with the man who does injustice.
8
Cease from wrath and leave behind rage. Do not choose to imitate the malicious.
9
For those who are malicious will be exterminated. But those who remain with the Lord, these will inherit the land.
10
Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be. And you will search his place and find nothing.
11
But the meek shall inherit the earth, and they will delight in the multitude of peace.
12
The sinner will observe the just, and he will gnash his teeth over him.
13
But the Lord will laugh at him: for he knows in advance that his day will come.
14
The sinners have drawn the sword, they have bent their bow, so as to cast down the poor and the needy, so as to massacre the upright of heart.
15
Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.
16
A little is better to the just than the many riches of sinners.
17
For the arms of sinners will be crushed, but the Lord confirms the just.
18
The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, and their inheritance will be in eternity.
19
They will not be confounded in an evil time; and in days of famine, they will be satisfied:
20
for sinners will perish. Truly, the adversaries of the Lord, soon after they have been honored and exalted, will fade away, in the same way that smoke fades away.
21
The sinner will lend and not release, but the just one shows compassion and donates.(b)
22
For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will perish.
23
The steps of a man will be directed by the Lord, and he will choose his way.
24
When he falls, he will not be harmed, because the Lord places his hand under him.
25
I have been young, and now I am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his offspring seeking bread.
26
He shows compassion and lends, all day long,(c) and his offspring will be in blessing.
27
Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell forever and ever.
28
For the Lord loves judgment, and he will not abandon his saints. They will be kept safe in eternity. The unjust will be punished, and the offspring of the impious will perish.(d)
29
But the just will inherit the earth, and they will dwell upon it forever and ever.
30
The mouth of the just one will express wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment.
31
The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.
32
The sinner considers the just one and seeks to put him to death.
33
But the Lord will not abandon him into his hands, nor condemn him, when he will be judged.
34
Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way. And he will exalt you, so as to inherit the land that you may seize. When the sinners will have passed away, then you shall see.(e)
35
I have seen the impious over-exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon.
36
And I passed by, and behold, he was not. And I sought him, and his place was not found.
37
Keep to innocence, and gaze upon fairness: because there are allotments for the peaceful man.(f)
38
But the unjust will be destroyed together: the allotments of the impious will pass away.(g)
39
But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in time of tribulation.
40
And the Lord will help them and free them. And he will rescue them from sinners and save them, because they have hoped in him.

Footnotes

(a)36:2 The word ‘foenum’ is usually translated as ‘hay,’ but it can refer to any type of crop or grass that is cut and dried, or to dry grass in the field. The word ‘olera’ refers to vegetables or herbs for use in a kitchen; so, as a phrase, ‘olera herbarum’ refers to herb that are for use in cooking: ‘kitchen herbs.’ These last dry out and droop easily, because they are delicate plants (often grown indoors).(Conte)
(b)36:21 Or, ‘The sinner borrows and does not repay.’ The words ‘Mutuabitur’ and ‘solvet’ seem to indicate lending and releasing from debit. But based on the meaning of the remainder of the sentence, other translators have translated the text as ‘borrow’ and ‘repay.’(Conte)
(c)36:26 The word ‘miseretur’ refers to showing mercy, or compassion, or pity for someone.(Conte)
(d)36:28 The phrase ‘offspring of,’ or ‘sons of,’ is a figure of speech often used in the Old Testament. It does not literally mean that a child will perish if his parents sin. It means that if you sin continually, you are acting as if you were the offspring of sin. Thus, ‘semen impiorum peribit’ could be translated as ‘the offspring of impiety will perish.’ In another example, the ‘sons of adultery’ are not the biological sons of adulterers, but they are those who act as if they had adultery itself as a parent. This figure of speech is predicated on the idea that children learn most from their parents. If you commit adultery, it is as if your parents were adulterers, or as if your parent was adultery itself.(Conte)
(e)36:34 The word ‘capias’ is in the Clementine Vulgate, but it’s translation is not found in the Wycliffe, Douay, or Challoner versions. The word ‘capias’ refers to the land that the just ‘seize’ when the sinners pass away.(Conte)
(f)36:37 In this context, the word ‘reliquiae’ could be accurately translated as ‘bequests,’ or ‘bestowals,’ or ‘bequeathments,’ or ‘endowments,’ or ‘allotments.’(Conte)
(g)36:38 The word ‘interibunt’ literally means ‘they will go between.’ This was an expression used to refer to going between this life and the next, i.e. passing away or crossing over. People still sometimes say that someone has ‘passed between the veil of this life and the next.’(Conte)

Rejoice in the Lord

(1 Kings 2:1-9)
1
Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.
2
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
3
Trust in the LORD, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.
4
Also delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5
Commit your way to the LORD. Trust also in him, and he will do this:
6
he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun.
7
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.
8
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.
9
For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
10
For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.
11
But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12
The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.
13
The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.
14
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright on the path.
15
Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken.
16
Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.
17
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
18
The LORD knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.
19
They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20
But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the LORD shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish— vanish like smoke.
21
The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.
22
For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.
23
A man’s steps are established by the LORD. He delights in his way.
24
Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with his hand.
25
I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.
26
All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.
27
Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.
28
For the LORD loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29
The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.
30
The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.
31
The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.
32
The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him.
33
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34
Wait for the LORD, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35
I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.
36
But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37
Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
38
As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40
The LORD helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.
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