Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, November 27th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Psalms 37:1

A psalm of David.

Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Death;   Envy;   Happiness;   Murmuring;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Envy;   The Topic Concordance - Anxiety;   Bearing Fruit;   Envy;   Perishing;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Envy;   Happiness of the Wicked, the;   Resignation;   Titles and Names of the Wicked;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Letters;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acrostic;   Envy;   Patience;   Psalms, Book of;   Suffering;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Acrostic;   English Versions;   Estate;   Ethics;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Psalms;   Sin;   Wealth;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Lord's Supper (Ii);   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Lamentations of jeremiah;   Psalms the book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Evil-Doers;   Fret, Fretting;   Worker;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Covetousness;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for May 6;  

Parallel Translations

English Revised Version
A Psalm of David.
Update Bible Version
[A Psalm] of David. Don't fret yourself because of evil-doers, Neither be envious against those that work unrighteousness.
New Century Version

Of David.

Don't be upset because of evil people. Don't be jealous of those who do wrong,
New English Translation

By David.

Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers!
Webster's Bible Translation
[A Psalm] of David. Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
World English Bible
<> Don't fret because of evil-doers, Neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.
Amplified Bible
Do not worry because of evildoers, Nor be envious toward wrongdoers;
English Standard Version

Of David.

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The title of the sixe and thrittithe salm. To Dauith. Nile thou sue wickid men; nether loue thou men doynge wickidnesse.
Berean Standard Bible
Of David. Do not fret over doers of evil; do not envy those who do wrong.
Contemporary English Version

(By David.)

Don't be annoyed by anyone who does wrong, and don't envy them.
American Standard Version

A Psalm of David.

Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, Neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.
Bible in Basic English
Do not be angry because of the wrongdoers, or have envy of the workers of evil.
Complete Jewish Bible
By David: Don't be upset by evildoers or envious of those who do wrong,
Darby Translation

[A Psalm] of David.

Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, and be not envious of them that work unrighteousness;
Easy-to-Read Version

A song of David.

Don't get upset about evil people. Don't be jealous of those who do wrong.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
[A Psalm] of David. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.
King James Version (1611)
[A Psalme of Dauid.] Fret not thy selfe because of euill doers, neither bee thou enuious against the workers of iniquitie.
New Life Bible
Do not trouble yourself because of sinful men. Do not want to be like those who do wrong.
New Revised Standard

Of David.

Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers,
Geneva Bible (1587)
A Psalme of Dauid. Fret not thy selfe because of the wicked men, neither be enuious for the euill doers.
George Lamsa Translation
FRET not because of evildoers, neither be envious of the workers of iniquity,
Good News Translation
Don't be worried on account of the wicked; don't be jealous of those who do wrong.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Burn not with vexation because of evil-doers, Be not envious of the workers of perversity;
Douay-Rheims Bible
(36-1) Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that work iniquity.
Revised Standard Version
A Psalm of David. Fret not yourself because of the wicked, be not envious of wrongdoers!
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Fret not thy selfe because of the vngodly: neither be thou enuious against the euyll doers.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be envious of them that do iniquity.
Christian Standard Bible®
Do not be agitated by evildoers;do not envy those who do wrong.
Hebrew Names Version
<> Don't fret because of evil-doers, Neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.
King James Version
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
Lexham English Bible

Of David.

Do not fret because of evildoers; do not be envious of doers of wickedness.
Literal Translation
A Psalm of David. Do not inflame yourself with evildoers; and do not be envious against workers of perversity;
Young's Literal Translation
By David. Do not fret because of evil doers, Be not envious against doers of iniquity,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Frett not thy self at the vngodly, be not thou envious agaynst the euell doers.
THE MESSAGE
A David Psalm Don't bother your head with braggarts or wish you could succeed like the wicked. In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.
New American Standard Bible
Do not get upset because of evildoers, Do not be envious of wrongdoers.
New King James Version
Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
New American Standard Bible (1995)

A Psalm of David.

Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
Legacy Standard Bible
Do not fret because of evildoers,Be not envious toward doers of unrighteousness.

Contextual Overview

1

A psalm of David.

Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord , and he will give you your heart's desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord . Trust him, and he will help you. 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

- Title

This is the third alphabetical Psalm. It seems to have been intended as an instructive and consoling ode for the captives in Babylon, who might feel themselves severely tempted when they saw those idolaters in prosperity, and themselves in adversity.

Fret: Psalms 37:7, 1 Samuel 1:6-8, Proverbs 19:3, Proverbs 24:1, Proverbs 24:19

neither: Psalms 73:3, Proverbs 3:31, Proverbs 23:17, Galatians 5:21, James 4:5, James 4:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 26:3 - Sojourn 1 Chronicles 16:4 - to record Job 12:6 - tabernacles Psalms 49:16 - Be not Psa_73:21 - my heart Psalms 92:7 - wicked Jeremiah 12:1 - Wherefore doth 1 Peter 2:1 - envies

Cross-References

Genesis 17:8
And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God."
Genesis 23:4
"Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial."
Genesis 28:4
May God pass on to you and your descendants the blessings he promised to Abraham. May you own this land where you are now living as a foreigner, for God gave this land to Abraham."
Genesis 36:7
There was not enough land to support them both because of all the livestock and possessions they had acquired.
Genesis 37:9
Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. "Listen, I have had another dream," he said. "The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!"
Genesis 37:16
"I'm looking for my brothers," Joseph replied. "Do you know where they are pasturing their sheep?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Fret not thyself because of evildoers,.... The saints may be grieved at them and for them, because of their evil doings, and may be angry with them for them; yet are not to show any undue warmth, at least in an indecent way, by calling them opprobrious names; for the words may be rendered, "do not show thyself warm" or "angry" i: in a sinful way; or fret not at their outward prosperity, as it is explained

Psalms 37:7. The Targum adds, "to be like them", which agrees with

Psalms 37:8;

neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity; that is, at their present temporal happiness; see Psalms 73:3. The Targum adds, as before, to be joined with them; which sense some parallel places seem to incline to, Proverbs 3:31.

i תתחר "ne accendaris ira", Junius Tremellius "ne exardescas", Gejerus, Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Fret not thyself - The Hebrew word here means properly to burn, to be kindled, to be inflamed, and is often applied to anger, as if under its influence we become “heated:” Genesis 31:36; Gen 34:7; 1 Samuel 15:11; 2 Samuel 19:43. Hence, it means to fret oneself, to be angry, or indignant. Compare Proverbs 24:19. We should perhaps express the same idea by the word “worrying” or “chafing.” The state of mind is that where we are worried, or envious, because others are prosperous and successful, and we are not. The idea is, therefore, closely allied with that in the other part of the verse, “neither be thou “envious.””

Because of evil-doers - Wicked men:

(a) at the fact that there are wicked men, or that God suffers them to live;

(b) at their numbers;

(c) at their success and prosperity.

Neither be thou envious - Envy is pain, mortification, discontent, at the superior excellence or prosperity of others, accompanied often with some degree of malignant feeling, and with a disposition to detract from their merit. It is the result of a comparison of ourselves with others who are more highly gifted or favored, or who are more successful than we are ourselves. The feeling referred to here is that which springs up in the mind when we see persons of corrupt or wicked character prospered, while we, endeavoring to do right, are left to poverty, to disappointment, and to tears.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

PSALM XXXVII

Godly directions for those who are in adversity not to envy the

prosperity of the wicked, because it is superficial, and of

short duration, 1-22;

to put their confidence in God, and live to his glory, as this

is the sure way to be happy in this life, and in that which is

to come, 23-40.


NOTES ON PSALM XXXVII

In the title this Psalm is attributed to David by the Hebrew, and by most of the Versions: but it is more likely it was intended as an instructive and consoling ode for the captives in Babylon, who might feel themselves severely tempted when they saw those idolaters in prosperity; and themselves, who worshipped the true God, in affliction and slavery. They are comforted with the prospect of speedy deliverance; and their return to their own land is predicted in not less than ten different places in this Psalm.

This Psalm is one of the acrostic or alphabetical kind: but it differs from those we have already seen, in having two verses under each letter; the first only exhibiting the alphabetical letter consecutively. There are a few anomalies in the Psalm. The hemistich, which should begin with the letter ע ain, has now a ל lamed prefixed to the word with which it begins, לעולם leolam; and the hemistich which should begin with ת tau (Psalms 37:39) has now a ו vau prefixed, ותשועת utheshuath. It appears also that the letters ד daleth, כ caph, and ק koph, have each lost a hemistich; and ע ain, half a one. The manner in which this Psalm is printed in Dr. Kennicott's Hebrew Bible gives a full view of all these particulars. To the English reader some slighter differences may appear; but it should be observed, that the verses in our English Bibles are not always divided as those in the Hebrew. In all the Psalms that have a title, the title forms the first verse in the Hebrew; but our translation does not acknowledge any of those titles as a part of the Psalm, and very properly leaves them out of the enumeration of the verses.

Verse Psalms 37:1. Fret not thyself because of evil doers — It is as foolish as it is wicked to repine or be envious at the prosperity of others. Whether they are godly or ungodly, it is God who is the dispenser of the bounty they enjoy; and, most assuredly, he has a right to do what he will with his own. To be envious in such a case, is to arraign the providence of God. And it is no small condescension in the Almighty to reason with such persons as he does in this Psalm.


 
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