Psalms 37:32-34

37:32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly

and try to kill them. ¹ 

37:33 But the Lord does not surrender the godly,

or allow them to be condemned in a court of law. ² 

37:34 Rely ³  on the Lord! Obey his commands! ⁴ 

Then he will permit you ⁵  to possess the land;

you will see the demise of evil men. ⁶ 

[37:32]  ¹ tn Heb “an evil [one] watches the godly [one] and seeks to kill him.” The singular forms are used in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and godly individual are in view. The active participles describe characteristic behavior.

[37:33]  ² tn Heb “the Lord does not abandon him into his hand or condemn him when he is judged.” The imperfects draw attention to the Lord’s characteristic behavior in this regard.

[37:34]  ³ tn Or “wait.”

[37:34]  ⁴ tn Heb “keep his way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the “conduct required” by the Lord. In Ps 25 the Lord’s “ways” are associated with his covenantal demands (see vv. 4, 9-10). See also Ps 119:3 (cf. vv. 1, 4), as well as Deut 8:6; 10:12; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 28:9; 30:16.

[37:34]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he will lift you up.” The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) is best taken here as a result clause following the imperatives in the preceding lines.

[37:34]  ⁶ tn Heb “when evil men are cut off you will see.”