---
title: "Psalm 36 (37) – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/psalms/36/
description: "Psalm 36 (Psalm 37 in Hebrew numbering) in the CPDV, with the Latin Vulgate. Noli aemulari. An exhortation to despise this world; and the short…"
---

# Psalm 36 (37)

Psalm 36 in the Vulgate numbering Bless follows is Psalm 37 in Hebrew numbering (the NABRE, RSV and KJV). Here are all 40 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> Noli aemulari. An exhortation to despise this world; and the short prosperity of the wicked; and to trust in Providence.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Psalm 36 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. A Psalm of David himself. Do not choose to imitate the malicious; neither should you envy those who work iniquity.
2. For they will quickly wither away like dry grass, and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop.
3. Hope in the Lord and do good, and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches.
4. Delight in the Lord, and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart.
5. Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will accomplish it.
6. And he will bring forth your justice like the light, and your judgment like the midday.
7. Be subject to the Lord and pray to him. Do not choose to compete with him who prospers in his way, with the man who does injustice.
8. Cease from wrath and leave behind rage. Do not choose to imitate the malicious.
9. For those who are malicious will be exterminated. But those who remain with the Lord, these will inherit the land.
10. Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be. And you will search his place and find nothing.
11. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and they will delight in the multitude of peace.
12. The sinner will observe the just, and he will gnash his teeth over him.
13. But the Lord will laugh at him: for he knows in advance that his day will come.
14. The sinners have drawn the sword, they have bent their bow, so as to cast down the poor and the needy, so as to massacre the upright of heart.
15. Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.
16. A little is better to the just than the many riches of sinners.
17. For the arms of sinners will be crushed, but the Lord confirms the just.
18. The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, and their inheritance will be in eternity.
19. They will not be confounded in an evil time; and in days of famine, they will be satisfied:
20. for sinners will perish. Truly, the adversaries of the Lord, soon after they have been honored and exalted, will fade away, in the same way that smoke fades away.
21. The sinner will lend and not release, but the just one shows compassion and donates.
22. For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will perish.
23. The steps of a man will be directed by the Lord, and he will choose his way.
24. When he falls, he will not be harmed, because the Lord places his hand under him.
25. I have been young, and now I am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his offspring seeking bread.
26. He shows compassion and lends, all day long, and his offspring will be in blessing.
27. Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell forever and ever.
28. For the Lord loves judgment, and he will not abandon his saints. They will be kept safe in eternity. The unjust will be punished, and the offspring of the impious will perish.
29. But the just will inherit the earth, and they will dwell upon it forever and ever.
30. The mouth of the just one will express wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment.
31. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.
32. The sinner considers the just one and seeks to put him to death.
33. But the Lord will not abandon him into his hands, nor condemn him, when he will be judged.
34. Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way. And he will exalt you, so as to inherit the land that you may seize. When the sinners will have passed away, then you shall see.
35. I have seen the impious over-exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon.
36. And I passed by, and behold, he was not. And I sought him, and his place was not found.
37. Keep to innocence, and gaze upon fairness: because there are allotments for the peaceful man.
38. But the unjust will be destroyed together: the allotments of the impious will pass away.
39. But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in time of tribulation.
40. And the Lord will help them and free them. And he will rescue them from sinners and save them, because they have hoped in him.

## Psalm 36 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Psalmus ipsi David. Noli æmulari in malignantibus, neque zelaveris facientes iniquitatem:
2. quoniam tamquam fœnum velociter arescent, et quemadmodum olera herbarum cito decident.
3. Spera in Domino, et fac bonitatem; et inhabita terram, et pasceris in divitiis ejus.
4. Delectare in Domino, et dabit tibi petitiones cordis tui.
5. Revela Domino viam tuam, et spera in eo, et ipse faciet.
6. Et educet quasi lumen justitiam tuam, et judicium tuum tamquam meridiem.
7. Subditus esto Domino, et ora eum. Noli æmulari in eo qui prosperatur in via sua; in homine faciente injustitias.
8. Desine ab ira, et derelinque furorem; noli æmulari ut maligneris.
9. Quoniam qui malignantur exterminabuntur; sustinentes autem Dominum, ipsi hæreditabunt terram.
10. Et adhuc pusillum, et non erit peccator; et quæres locum ejus, et non invenies.
11. Mansueti autem hæreditabunt terram, et delectabuntur in multitudine pacis.
12. Observabit peccator justum, et stridebit super eum dentibus suis.
13. Dominus autem irridebit eum, quoniam prospicit quod veniet dies ejus.
14. Gladium evaginaverunt peccatores; intenderunt arcum suum: ut dejiciant pauperem et inopem, ut trucident rectos corde.
15. Gladius eorum intret in corda ipsorum, et arcus eorum confringatur.
16. Melius est modicum justo, super divitias peccatorum multas:
17. quoniam brachia peccatorum conterentur: confirmat autem justos Dominus.
18. Novit Dominus dies immaculatorum, et hæreditas eorum in æternum erit.
19. Non confundentur in tempore malo, et in diebus famis saturabuntur:
20. quia peccatores peribunt. Inimici vero Domini mox ut honorificati fuerint et exaltati, deficientes quemadmodum fumus deficient.
21. Mutuabitur peccator, et non solvet; justus autem miseretur et tribuet:
22. quia benedicentes ei hæreditabunt terram; maledicentes autem ei disperibunt.
23. Apud Dominum gressus hominis dirigentur, et viam ejus volet.
24. Cum ceciderit, non collidetur, quia Dominus supponit manum suam.
25. Junior fui, etenim senui; et non vidi justum derelictum, nec semen ejus quærens panem.
26. Tota die miseretur et commodat; et semen illius in benedictione erit.
27. Declina a malo, et fac bonum, et inhabita in sæculum sæculi:
28. quia Dominus amat judicium, et non derelinquet sanctos suos: in æternum conservabuntur. Injusti punientur, et semen impiorum peribit.
29. Justi autem hæreditabunt terram, et inhabitabunt in sæculum sæculi super eam.
30. Os justi meditabitur sapientiam, et lingua ejus loquetur judicium.
31. Lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius, et non supplantabuntur gressus ejus.
32. Considerat peccator justum, et quærit mortificare eum.
33. Dominus autem non derelinquet eum in manibus ejus, nec damnabit eum cum judicabitur illi.
34. Exspecta Dominum, et custodi viam ejus, et exaltabit te ut hæreditate capias terram: cum perierint peccatores, videbis.
35. Vidi impium superexaltatum, et elevatum sicut cedros Libani:
36. et transivi, et ecce non erat; et quæsivi eum, et non est inventus locus ejus.
37. Custodi innocentiam, et vide æquitatem, quoniam sunt reliquiæ homini pacifico.
38. Injusti autem disperibunt simul; reliquiæ impiorum interibunt.
39. Salus autem justorum a Domino; et protector eorum in tempore tribulationis.
40. Et adjuvabit eos Dominus, et liberabit eos; et eruet eos a peccatoribus, et salvabit eos, quia speraverunt in eo.

## The saints

- “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love.” — St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul, ch. 9, 1897 (On this theme: verse 5)

## Read at Mass (US)

- Tue, Nov 10, 2026: St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church — Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 37:3-4, 18 and 23, 27 and 29
- Fri, Jan 29, 2027: Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time — Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40
- Tue, May 18, 2027: Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time — Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
- Fri, Jul 9, 2027 (computed): Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time — Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

2 more dates through December 31, 2028, in the [liturgical calendar](https://blessbible.app/calendar/).

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish. Mass citations number the Psalms in the Hebrew way.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).