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Scripture · Old Testament

Psalms 37:21

Psalms 37:21 is verse 21 of Psalms chapter 37, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

World English Bible

The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

Read in context

Psalms 37:19–23 · Berean Standard Bible

19 In the time of evil they will not be ashamed, and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

20 But the wicked and enemies of the LORD will perish like the glory of the fields. They will vanish; like smoke they will fade away.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.

22 Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, but the cursed will be destroyed.

23 The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey.

Read all of Psalms 37

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Study Psalms 37:21

Read the commentary on Psalms 37

Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Deuteronomy 28:12

The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none.

Deuteronomy 28:43

The foreigner living among you will rise higher and higher above you, while you sink down lower and lower.

Deuteronomy 28:44

He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, and you will be the tail.

2 Kings 4:1

Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”

2 Kings 4:2

“How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

2 Kings 4:3

“Go,” said Elisha, “borrow jars, even empty ones, from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few.

2 Kings 4:4

Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside.”

2 Kings 4:5

So she left him, and after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing jars to her, and she kept pouring.

Nehemiah 5:1

About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

Nehemiah 5:2

Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

Nehemiah 5:3

Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

Nehemiah 5:4

Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

Nehemiah 5:5

We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Proverbs 22:7

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

Psalms 112:5

It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.

Psalms 112:9

He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.

Deuteronomy 15:9

Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

Deuteronomy 15:10

Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.

Deuteronomy 15:11

For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land.

Job 31:16

If I have denied the desires of the poor or allowed the widow’s eyes to fail,

Job 31:17

if I have eaten my morsel alone, not sharing it with the fatherless—

Job 31:18

though from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

Job 31:19

if I have seen one perish for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a cloak,

Job 31:20

if his heart has not blessed me for warming him with the fleece of my sheep,

Isaiah 32:8

But a noble man makes honorable plans; he stands up for worthy causes.

Isaiah 58:7

Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Isaiah 58:8

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Isaiah 58:9

Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk,

Isaiah 58:10

and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will go forth in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday.

Luke 6:30

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not demand it back.

Acts 11:29

So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

Acts 20:35

In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 9:6

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:9

As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

2 Corinthians 9:10

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.

2 Corinthians 9:11

You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, so that through us your giving will produce thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:12

For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:13

Because of the proof this ministry provides, the saints will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all the others.

2 Corinthians 9:14

And their prayers for you will express their affection for you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

2 Corinthians 9:15

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Hebrews 6:10

For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.

Hebrews 13:16

And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

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