Psalm 37:16
Context
16Better is the little of the righteous
         Than the abundance of many wicked.

17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
         But the LORD sustains the righteous.

18The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
         And their inheritance will be forever.

19They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,
         And in the days of famine they will have abundance.

20But the wicked will perish;
         And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures,
         They vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
         But the righteous is gracious and gives.

22For those blessed by Him will inherit the land,
         But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

23The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
         And He delights in his way.

24When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
         Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

25I have been young and now I am old,
         Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
         Or his descendants begging bread.

26All day long he is gracious and lends,
         And his descendants are a blessing.

27Depart from evil and do good,
         So you will abide forever.

28For the LORD loves justice
         And does not forsake His godly ones;
         They are preserved forever,
         But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

29The righteous will inherit the land
         And dwell in it forever.

30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
         And his tongue speaks justice.

31The law of his God is in his heart;
         His steps do not slip.

32The wicked spies upon the righteous
         And seeks to kill him.

33The LORD will not leave him in his hand
         Or let him be condemned when he is judged.

34Wait for the LORD and keep His way,
         And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
         When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35I have seen a wicked, violent man
         Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.

36Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more;
         I sought for him, but he could not be found.

37Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright;
         For the man of peace will have a posterity.

38But transgressors will be altogether destroyed;
         The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

39But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
         He is their strength in time of trouble.

40The LORD helps them and delivers them;
         He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
         Because they take refuge in Him.



NASB ©1995

Parallel Verses
American Standard Version
Better is a little that the righteous hath Than the abundance of many wicked.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked.

Darby Bible Translation
The little that the righteous hath is better than the abundance of many wicked;

English Revised Version
Better is a little that the righteous hath than the abundance of many wicked.

Webster's Bible Translation
A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

World English Bible
Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

Young's Literal Translation
Better is the little of the righteous, Than the store of many wicked.
Library
November 13. "Delight Thyself in the Lord" (Ps. xxxvii. 4).
"Delight thyself in the Lord" (Ps. xxxvii. 4). Daniel's heart was filled with God's love for His work and kingdom and his prayers were the mightiest forces of his time, through which God gave to him the restoration of Israel to their own land, and the acknowledgment by the rulers of the world of the God of whom he testified and for whom he lived. There is a beautiful promise in the thirty-seventh Psalm, "Delight thyself in the Lord, and He will give thee the desires of thine heart," which it is,
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

April 11. "Commit Thy Way unto the Lord" (Ps. xxxvii. 5).
"Commit thy way unto the Lord" (Ps. xxxvii. 5). Seldom have we heard a better definition of faith than was given once in one of our meetings by a dear old colored woman, as she answered the question of a young man how to take the Lord for needed help. In her characteristic way, pointing her finger toward him, she said with great emphasis: "You've just got to believe that He's done it, and it's done." The great danger with most of us is, that after we ask Him to do it, we do not believe that it's
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

April 19. "Rest in the Lord and Wait Patiently for Him" (Ps. xxxvii. 7).
"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him" (Ps. xxxvii. 7). It is a very suggestive thought that it is in the Gospel of Mark, which is the Gospel of service, we hear the Master saying to His disciples, "Come ye apart into a desert place, and rest awhile." God wants rested workers. There is an energy that may be tireless and ceaseless, and yet still as the ocean's depth, with the peace of God, which passes all understanding. The two deepest secrets of rest are, first, to be in harmony with the
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

April 24. "Fret not Thyself in any Wise" (Ps. xxxvii. 8).
"Fret not thyself in any wise" (Ps. xxxvii. 8). A life was lost in Israel because a pair of human hands were laid unbidden upon the ark of God. They were placed upon it with the best intent to steady it when trembling and shaking as the oxen drew it along the rough way, but they touched God's work presumptuously, and they fell paralyzed and lifeless. Much of the life of faith consists in letting things alone. If we wholly trust an interest to God we can keep our hands off it, and He will guard it
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

February 5. "Rest in the Lord" (Ps. xxxvii. ).
"Rest in the Lord" (Ps. xxxvii.). In the old creation the week began with work and ended with Sabbath rest. The resurrection week begins with the first day--first rest, then labor. So we must first cease from our own works as God did from His, and enter into His rest, and then we will work, with rested hearts, His works with effectual power. But why "labor to enter into rest"? See that ship--how restfully she sails over the waters, her sails swelling with the gale; and borne without an effort! And
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Secret of Tranquillity
'Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord.... 7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.'--PSALM xxxvii. 4, 5, 7. 'I have been young, and now am old,' says the writer of this psalm. Its whole tone speaks the ripened wisdom and autumnal calm of age. The dim eyes have seen and survived so much, that it seems scarcely worth while to be agitated by what ceases so soon. He has known so many bad men blasted in all their leafy
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Heart's Desire Given to Help Mission Work in China.
"Sept. 30 [1869].--From Yorkshire L50.--Received also One Thousand Pounds to-day for the Lord's work in China. About this donation it is especially to be noticed, that for months it had been my earnest desire to do more than ever for Mission Work in China, and I had already taken steps to carry out this desire, when this donation of One Thousand Pounds came to hand. This precious answer to prayer for means should be a particular encouragement to all who are engaged in the Lord's work, and who may
George Müller—Answers to Prayer

Of the Zealous Amendment of Our Whole Life
Be thou watchful and diligent in God's service, and bethink thee often why thou hast renounced the world. Was it not that thou mightest live to God and become a spiritual man? Be zealous, therefore, for thy spiritual profit, for thou shalt receive shortly the reward of thy labours, and neither fear nor sorrow shall come any more into thy borders. Now shalt thou labour a little, and thou shalt find great rest, yea everlasting joy. If thou shalt remain faithful and zealous in labour, doubt not
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Of the Inward Growth of Patience, and of the Struggle against Evil Desires
O Lord God, I see that patience is very necessary unto me; for many things in this life fall out contrary. For howsoever I may have contrived for my peace, my life cannot go on without strife and trouble. 2. "Thou speakest truly, My Son. For I will not that thou seek such a peace as is without trials, and knoweth no adversities; but rather that thou shouldest judge thyself to have found peace, when thou art tried with manifold tribulations, and proved by many adversities. If thou shalt say that
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Columban.
THE wild districts of Ireland were occupied with convents, after the example of Patrick, and cultivated by the hard labour of the monks. The Irish convents were distinguished by their strict Christian discipline, their diligence and their zeal in the study of the Scriptures, and of science in general, as far as they had the means of acquiring it. Irish monks brought learning from Britain and Gaul, they treasured up this learning and elaborated it in the solitude of the convent, and they are said
Augustus Neander—Light in the Dark Places

The Fourth Continental Journey.
1842-3. In the journey which now lay before them, John and Martha Yeardley were about to explore a part of Europe hitherto untried,--the province of Languedoc, conspicuous in past ages for its superior enlightenment, but now, owing to the temporary mastery of error, wrapt in ignorance and gloom. In this mission, the opportunities which they found for reviving and gathering together the scattered embers of truth, were nearly confined to social intercourse; in seeking occasions for which, they availed
John Yeardley—Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel

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