37:3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! 1
37:4 Then you will take delight in the Lord, 2
and he will answer your prayers. 3
37:5 Commit your future to the Lord! 4
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. 5
37:6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause. 6
37:7 Wait patiently for the Lord! 7
Wait confidently 8 for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, 9
a man who carries out wicked schemes!
37:8 Do not be angry and frustrated! 10
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!
37:9 Wicked men 11 will be wiped out, 12
but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land. 13
37:10 Evil men will soon disappear; 14
you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone. 15
37:11 But the oppressed will possess the land
and enjoy great prosperity. 16
8:12 Even though a sinner might commit a hundred crimes 17 and still live a long time, 18
yet I know that it will go well with God-fearing people 19 – for they stand in fear 20 before him.
1 tn Heb “tend integrity.” The verb רָעָה (ra’ah, “tend, shepherd”) is probably used here in the sense of “watch over, guard.” The noun אֱמוּנָה (’emunah, “faithfulness, honesty, integrity”) is understood as the direct object of the verb, though it could be taken as an adverbial accusative, “[feed] securely,” if the audience is likened to a flock of sheep.
2 tn Following the imperatives of v. 3 the prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) in v. 4 indicate result. Faith and obedience (v. 3) will bring divine blessing (v. 4).
3 tn Or “and he will give you what you desire most.” Heb “and he will grant to you the requests of your heart.”
4 tn Heb “roll your way upon the
5 tn Heb “he will act.” Verse 6 explains what is meant; the
6 tn Heb “and he will bring out like light your vindication, and your just cause like noonday.”
7 tn Heb “Be quiet before the
8 tc The Hebrew text has וְהִתְחוֹלֵל (vÿhitkholel, Hitpolel of חִיל, khil, “writhe with fear, suffer”) but this idea fits awkwardly here. The text should be changed to וְתוֹחֵל (vÿtokhel; Hiphil of יָחַל, yakhal, “wait”). It appears that the Hebrew text is the product of dittography: (1) the initial וה (vav-he) is accidentally repeated from the preceding word (יְהוָה, yÿhvah) and (2) the final lamed (ל) is accidentally repeated (note the preceding lamed and the initial lamed on the following form, לו).
9 tn Heb “over one who causes his way to be successful.”
10 tn Heb “Refrain from anger! Abandon rage!”
11 tn Heb “for evil men.” The conjunction כִּי (ki, “for”) relates to the exhortations in v. 8; there is no reason to be frustrated, for the evildoers will be punished in due time.
12 tn Or “cut off, removed.”
13 tn Heb “and those who wait on the
14 tn Heb “and yet, a little, there will be no wicked [one].”
15 tn Heb “and you will carefully look upon his place, but he will not be [there].” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer is in view.
16 tn Heb “and they will take delight in (see v. 4) abundance of peace.”
17 tn Heb “does evil one hundred [times].”
18 tn Heb “and prolongs his [life].”
19 tn Heb “those who fear God.”
20 tn Heb “they fear.”