New English Translation
Psalms 37:21
21Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous.
Psalms 37:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
- New International Version (NIV)The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
- English Standard Version (ESV)The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;
- New King James Version (NKJV)The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
Context of Psalms 37:21
19They will not be ashamed when hard times come; when famine comes they will have enough to eat. 20But evil men will die; the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated – they will go up in smoke. Evil 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, but those rejected by him will be wiped out. 23The Lord grants success to the one whose behavior he finds commendable.
Read all of Psalms 37Psalms 37:21 word by word
לֹוֶ֣ה רָ֭שָׁע וְלֹ֣א יְשַׁלֵּ֑ם וְ֝צַדִּ֗יק חוֹנֵ֥ן וְנוֹתֵֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 37:21
- Deuteronomy 28:12The Lord will open for you his good treasure house, the heavens, to give you rain for the land in its season and to bless all you do; you will lend to many nations but you will not borrow from any.
- 2 Kings 4:1Now a wife of one of the prophets appealed to Elisha for help, saying, “Your servant, my husband is dead. You know that your servant was a loyal follower of the Lord. Now the creditor is coming to take away my two boys to be his servants.”
- Nehemiah 5:1Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
- Proverbs 22:7The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
- Psalms 112:5It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly.
- Deuteronomy 15:9Be careful lest you entertain the wicked thought that the seventh year, the year of cancellation of debts, has almost arrived, and your attitude be wrong toward your impoverished fellow Israelite and you do not lend him anything; he will cry out to the Lord against you and you will be regarded as having sinned.
- Job 31:16If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
- Isaiah 32:8An honorable man makes honorable plans; his honorable character gives him security.
- Isaiah 58:7I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood!
- Luke 6:30Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your possessions back from the person who takes them away.
- Acts 11:29So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
- Acts 20:35By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- 2 Corinthians 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.
- Hebrews 6:10For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints.
- Hebrews 13:16And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.
Commentaries on Psalms 37:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21The wicked borroweth - Is often reduced to penury, and is obliged to become debtor to those whom he before despised. And payeth not again - May refuse to do it, because he is a wicked man; or be unable to do it, because he is reduced to beggary. But the righteous showeth mercy - Because he has received mercy from God, therefore he shows mercy to men. And even to his enemies he showeth mercy, and giveth; his heart being disposed to it by the influence of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again - This is probably intended here, not so much to describe the “character” as the “condition” of the wicked. The idea is, that he will be in such a condition of want that he will be under a necessity of borrowing, but will not have the means of repaying what he has borrowed, while the righteous will not only have enough for himself, but will have the means of showing mercy to others, and of “giving” to them what…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-33Verses 21-33 The Lord our God requires that we do justly, and render to all their due. It is a great sin for those that are able, to deny the payment of just debts; it is a great misery not to be able to pay them. He that is truly merciful, will be ever merciful. We must leave our sins; learn to do well, and cleave to it. This is true religion. The blessing of God is the spring, sweetness, and security of all earthly enjoyments. And if we are sure of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21To borrow and never repay shows a dishonest way of life. Generous givers freely share what they freely receive from the Lord (see Psalm 111:5; 112:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2221-22. payeth not--not able; having grown poor (compare De 15:7). Ability of the one and inability of the other do not exclude moral dispositions. God's blessing or cursing makes the difference.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 37:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 37
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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