Psalms 37:21

37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,

but the godly show compassion and are generous. ¹ 

Psalms 37:25-26

37:25 I was once young, now I am old.

I have never seen a godly man abandoned,

or his children ²  forced to search for food. ³ 

37:26 All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, ⁴ 

and his children ⁵  are blessed.

[37:21]  ¹ tn Heb “an evil [man] borrows and does not repay; but a godly [man] is gracious and gives.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and godly individual are in view. The three active participles and one imperfect (“repay”) draw attention to the characteristic behavior of the two types.

[37:25]  ² tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”

[37:25]  ³ tn Heb “or his offspring searching for food.” The expression “search for food” also appears in Lam 1:11, where Jerusalem’s refugees are forced to search for food and to trade their valuable possessions for something to eat.

[37:26]  ⁴ tn The active participles describe characteristic behavior.

[37:26]  ⁵ tn Or “offspring”; Heb “seed.”