Tehillim - Psalm 37
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Remember the following three truth’s from our beloved Scriptures!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (the LORD your Elo’lei’chem) which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2.
“This is My Name FOREVER, and this is My Memorial to ALL Generations”. Shemot - Exodus 3:15. (JPS).
“I am יְהוָה, that is My Name; and My glory will I not give to another”. Yeshayahu - Isaiah 42:8. (JPS).
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben
Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
“Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey the entire Torah My servant Moshe has given you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Torah depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
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Let us commence by reading Tehillim verses 1 to 3, first in Hebrew, followed by the translation:
לְדָוִד:
אַל-תִּתְחַר
בַּמְּרֵעִים;
אַל-תְּקַנֵּא,
בְּעֹשֵׂי
עַוְלָה
1. (A Psalm) of David. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.
כִּי
כֶחָצִיר,
מְהֵרָה
יִמָּלוּ;
וּכְיֶרֶק
דֶּשֶׁא,
יִבּוֹלוּן
2. “For they shall soon wither like the grass, and fade as the green herb.
בְּטַח
בַּיהוָה,
וַעֲשֵׂה-טוֹב;
שְׁכָן-אֶרֶץ,
וּרְעֵה
אֱמוּנָה
3. Trust in יְהוָה - the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and cherish faithfulness”.
We may ask what is this Tehillim all about?:
Tehillim - Psalm
37 is not a lament, not even a plea; it is more of a Tehillim of wisdom,
structured to be a teaching guide. It speaks directly to the righteous who live
in a world where the wicked seem to prosper. However, its tone is calm, but
deliberate, and covenantal. This Tehillim does not cry out in anguish; it
instructs us, I pray, with clarity and trust!
Before we commence this study, let us read verses 7, 11 and 30:
דּוֹם,
לַיהוָה-וְהִתְחוֹלֵל-לוֹ
אַל-תִּתְחַר,
בְּמַצְלִיחַ
דַּרְכּוֹ;
בְּאִישׁ,
עֹשֶׂה
מְזִמּוֹת
7. “Resign thyself unto יְהוָה, and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass”.
וַעֲנָוִים
יִירְשׁוּ-אָרֶץ;
וְהִתְעַנְּגוּ,
עַל-רֹב
שָׁלוֹם
11. “But the humble shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace”.
פִּי-צַדִּיק,
יֶהְגֶּה
חָכְמָה;
וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ,
תְּדַבֵּר
מִשְׁפָּט
30. “The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom, and his tongue speaketh justice”.
Themes and Structure:
Opening counsel (vv. 1–3):
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers…”
The Hebrew verb תִּתְחַר
- tit’char
implies burning with anger or envy. The Tehillim begins by urging restraint,
not just from action, but from inner agitation.
Trust and action (v. 3):
“Trust in יְהוָה
- the LORD, and do good;
dwell in the land, and cherish faithfulness.”
The Hebrew בְּטַח
בַּיהוָה
- be’tach
ba’YHVH) is not passive, it is a ‘steady’, ‘confident
reliance’. The phrase וּרְעֵה
אֱמוּנָה
- u’re’eh e’mu’nah) is
striking: “feed on faithfulness” or “pasture in trust.” It evokes a life
nourished by covenantal reliability.
Divine justice is not instant, but certain (vv. 7–11):
The wicked may
flourish like grass - כֶּחָצִיר,
but they will wither. The righteous are called to wait patiently - וְהִתְחוֹלֵל
- v’hitcholel),
a rare verb meaning to writhe or wait with deep stillness.
Inheritance of the land (vv. 9, 11, 22, 29):
Repeatedly, the
Tehillim promises that the meek, the blessed, the righteous will “inherit the
land.” This is not abstract, it is a return to the
covenantal promise of ‘Eretz Yisrael’ as a place of justice and peace.
The righteous speak wisdom (v. 30):
“The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom, and
his tongue speaketh justice.
The Hebrew חָכְמָה - chokhmah
and מִשְׁפָּט
- mishpat are not just moral, they are covenantal
categories. The righteous are not merely good people, for they are ‘bearers of
Torah’.
In conclusion:
1. Do not envy the wicked: Their success is fleeting.
This Tehillim teaches us to look beyond appearances and trust in the long
arc of Divine justice.
2. Live in trust and goodness: Faith is not passive.
Psalm 37 calls us to do good, dwell, feed on faithfulness, to live actively
in our covenant.
3. Wait with holy patience: The Hebrew calls for deep stillness, not
resignation. Waiting is a spiritual discipline.
4. Speak wisdom and justice: The righteous are not silent.
Their speech reflects Torah, and their lives reflect integrity.
Let Tehillim -
Psalm 37 shape our response to a world, which is greatly troubled, instead of
fretting at the sight of wicked prospering, we learn a steadier way, always
trusting אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim, doing good, cherishing faithfulness, and waiting patiently. This is not
passive resignation but a formative discipline that aligns our lives with the
long patience of covenantal justice, confident that אֱלֹהִים
will vindicate what faithfulness has sown!
May I suggest that you read the whole of Tehillim - Psalm 37 in your Tanakh:
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faith and pray at least two or of possible three times a day and always seek אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance!
But as you may have discovered it has become very much a teaching site!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following, via a
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“Return unto Me,
and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. MEC).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat
Shalom!
אֲנִי יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה (the LORD your
Elo’hei’chem); walk in My statutes,
and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall
be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - YaHVaH your Elo’hei’chem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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