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1Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed![#tn The verb form is singular (see vv. 3-10 as well, where the second person verbs and pronouns are also singular). The psalmist’s exhortation has a wisdom flavor to it; it is personalized for each member of his audience.; #tn Heb “over sinners.” The context indicates that the psalmist has in mind the apparent power and success of sinners. See v. 7b.]
Do not envy evildoers!
2For they will quickly dry up like grass,
and wither away like plants.
3Trust in the Lord and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity!
4Then you will take delight in the Lord ,[#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).]
and he will answer your prayers.
5Commit your future to the Lord ![#tn Heb “roll your way upon the Lord.” The noun “way” may refer here to one’s activities or course of life.]
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.
6He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause.
7Wait patiently for the Lord ![#tn Heb “Be quiet before the Lord!”]
Wait confidently for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner,
a man who carries out wicked schemes!
8Do not be angry and frustrated![#tn Heb “Refrain from anger! Abandon rage!”]
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!
9Wicked men will be wiped out,[#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.; #tn Or “cut off, removed.”]
but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.
10Evil men will soon disappear;[#tn Heb “and yet, a little, there will be no wicked [one].”]
you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.
11But the oppressed will possess the land
and enjoy great prosperity.
12Evil men plot against the godly[#tn Or “innocent.” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and the typical godly individual are in view.]
and viciously attack them.
13The Lord laughs in disgust at them,[#tn Heb “laughs.” As the next line indicates, this refers to derisive laughter (see 2:4). The Hebrew imperfect verbal form describes the action from the perspective of an eye-witness who is watching the divine response as it unfolds before his eyes.]
for he knows that their day is coming.
14Evil men draw their swords
and prepare their bows,
to bring down the oppressed and needy,
and to slaughter those who are godly.
15Their swords will pierce their own hearts,[#tn Heb “enter into.”]
and their bows will be broken.
16The little bit that a godly man owns is better than
the wealth of many evil men,
17for evil men will lose their power,[#tn Heb “for the arms of the evil ones will be broken.”]
but the Lord sustains the godly.
18The Lord watches over the innocent day by day[#tn Heb “the Lord knows the days of the innocent ones.” He “knows” their days in the sense that he is intimately aware of and involved in their daily struggles. He meets their needs and sustains them.]
and they possess a permanent inheritance.
19They will not be ashamed when hard times come;[#tn Heb “in a time of trouble.”]
when famine comes they will have enough to eat.
20But evil men will die;[#tn Or “for,” but Hebrew כי in this case would have to extend all the way back to v. 17a. Another option is to understand the particle as asseverative, “surely” (see v. 22).]
the Lord ’s enemies will be incinerated –
they will go up in smoke.
21Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,
but the godly show compassion and are generous.
22Surely those favored by the Lord will possess the land,[#tn The particle כִּי is best understood as asseverative or emphatic here.; #tn Heb “those blessed by him.” The pronoun “him” must refer to the Lord (see vv. 20, 23), so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.]
but those rejected by him will be wiped out.
23The Lord grants success to the one
whose behavior he finds commendable.
24Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong,[#tn Other translation options for כִּי in this context are “when” (so NASB) or “though” (so NEB, NIV, NRSV).; #tn Heb “be hurled down.”]
for the Lord holds his hand.
25I was once young, now I am old.
I have never seen a godly man abandoned,
or his children forced to search for food.
26All day long he shows compassion and lends to others,[#tn The active participles describe characteristic behavior.]
and his children are blessed.
27Turn away from evil! Do what is right![#tn Or “Do good!” The imperatives are singular (see v. 1).]
Then you will enjoy lasting security.
28For the Lord promotes justice,[#tn Heb “loves.” The verb “loves” is here metonymic; the Lord’s commitment to principles of justice causes him to actively promote these principles as he governs the world. The active participle describes characteristic behavior.]
and never abandons his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure,
but the children of evil men are wiped out.
29The godly will possess the land
and will dwell in it permanently.
30The godly speak wise words
and promote justice.
31The law of their God controls their thinking;[#tn Heb “the law of his God [is] in his heart.” The “heart” is here the seat of one’s thoughts and motives.]
their feet do not slip.
32Evil men set an ambush for the godly
and try to kill them.
33But the Lord does not surrender the godly,
or allow them to be condemned in a court of law.
34Rely on the Lord ! Obey his commands![#tn Or “wait.”; #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.]
Then he will permit you to possess the land;
you will see the demise of evil men.
35I have seen ruthless evil men[#tn The Hebrew uses the representative singular again here.]
growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil.
36But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared![#tn Heb “and he passes by and, look, he is not [there].” The subject of the verb “passes by” is probably indefinite, referring to any passerby. Some prefer to change the form to first person, “and I passed by” (cf. NEB; note the first person verbal forms in preceding verse and in the following line).]
I looked for them, but they could not be found.
37Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly![#tn Or “upright.”]
For the one who promotes peace has a future.
38Sinful rebels are totally destroyed;[#tn Or “destroyed together.” In this case the psalmist pictures judgment sweeping them away as a group.]
evil men have no future.
39But the Lord delivers the godly;[#tn Heb “and the deliverance of the godly [ones] [is] from the Lord.”]
he protects them in times of trouble.
40The Lord helps them and rescues them;
he rescues them from evil men and delivers them,
for they seek his protection.