Psalms 37:37-40

Context

37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly!¹

For the one who promotes peace has a future.²

37:38 Sinful rebels are totally destroyed;³

evil men have no future.⁴

37:39 But the Lord delivers the godly;⁵

he protects them in times of trouble.⁶

37:40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;

he rescues them from evil men and delivers them,⁷

for they seek his protection.

[37:37] ¹tn Or “upright.”

[37:37] ²tn Heb “for [there is] an end for a man of peace.” Some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see the next verse and Ps 109:13; cf. NEB, NRSV).

[37:38] ³tn Or “destroyed together.” In this case the psalmist pictures judgment sweeping them away as a group.

[37:38] ⁴tn Heb “the end of evil men is cut off.” As in v. 37, some interpret אַחֲרִית (’akharit, “end”) as referring to offspring (see Ps 109:13). The perfect verbal forms in v. 38 probably express general truths. Another option is that they are used emphatically to state with certitude that the demise of the wicked is as good as done.

[37:39] ⁵tn Heb “and the deliverance of the godly [ones] [is] from the Lord.”

[37:39] ⁶tn Heb “[he is] their place of refuge in a time of trouble.”

[37:40] ⁷tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive carry on the generalizing tone of the preceding verse.