< Psalms 37 >
1 Of David. Do not be angry because of the wrongdoers, or have envy of the workers of evil.
A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.
2 For they will quickly be cut down like grass, and become dry like the green plants.
For they shall soon wither like the grass, and fade as the green herb.
3 Have faith in the Lord, and do good; be at rest in the land, and go after righteousness.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and cherish faithfulness.
4 So will your delight be in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires.
So shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and He shall give thee the petitions of thy heart.
5 Put your life in the hands of the Lord; have faith in him and he will do it.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him, and He will bring it to pass.
6 And he will make your righteousness be seen like the light, and your cause like the shining of the sun.
And He will make thy righteousness to go forth as the light, and thy right as the noonday.
7 Take your rest in the Lord, waiting quietly for him; do not be angry because of the man who does well in his evil ways, and gives effect to his bad designs.
Resign thyself unto the LORD, 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.
8 Put an end to your wrath and be no longer bitter; do not give way to angry feeling which is a cause of sin.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil-doing.
9 For the evil-doers will be cut off: but those who have faith in the Lord will have the earth for their heritage.
For evil-doers shall be cut off; but those that wait for the LORD, they shall inherit the land.
10 For in a short time the evil-doer will be gone: you will go searching for his place, and it will not be there.
And yet a little while, and the wicked is no more; yea, thou shalt look well at his place, and he is not.
11 But the gentle will have the earth for their heritage; they will take their delight in peace without measure.
But the humble shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The sinner has evil designs against the upright, lifting up the voice of wrath against him.
The wicked plotteth against the righteous, and gnasheth at him with his teeth.
13 He will be laughed at by the Lord, who sees that his day is coming.
The Lord doth laugh at him; for He seeth that his day is coming.
14 The evil-doers have taken out their swords, their bows are bent; for crushing the poor, and to put to death those who are upright in their ways.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow; to cast down the poor and needy, to slay such as are upright in the way;
15 But their swords will be turned into their hearts, and their bows will be broken.
Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 The little which the good man has is better than the wealth of evil-doers.
Better is a little that the righteous hath than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the evil-doers will be broken: but the Lord is the support of the good.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
18 The days of the upright are numbered by the Lord, and their heritage will be for ever.
The LORD knoweth the days of them that are wholehearted; and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They will not be shamed in the evil time, and in the days when all are in need of food they will have enough.
They shall not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wrongdoers will come to destruction, and the haters of the Lord will be like the fat of lambs, they will be burned up; they will go up in smoke, and never again be seen.
For the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs — they shall pass away in smoke, they shall pass away.
21 The sinner takes money and does not give it back; but the upright man has mercy, and gives to others.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not; but the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.
22 Those who have his blessing will have the earth for their heritage; but those who are cursed by him will be cut off.
For such as are blessed of Him shall inherit the land; and they that are cursed of Him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he takes delight in his way.
It is of the LORD that a man's goings are established; and He delighted in his way.
24 Even if he has a fall he will not be without help: for the hand of the Lord is supporting him.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholdeth his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old, but I have not seen the good man without help, or his children looking for bread.
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 All the day he is ready to have mercy and to give; his children are a blessing.
All the day long he dealeth graciously, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Be turned from evil, and do good; and your place will be for ever.
Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the Lord is a lover of righteousness, and takes care of his saints; they will be kept safe for ever; but the seed of the evil-doers will be cut off.
For the LORD loveth justice, and forsaketh not His saints; they are preserved for ever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The upright will have the earth for their heritage, and will go on living there for ever.
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the good man says words of wisdom; the talk of his tongue is of righteousness.
The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom, and his tongue speaketh justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; he will never make a false step.
The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps slide.
32 The sinners are watching the upright man, desiring to put him to death.
The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The Lord will not give him into their hands, or be against him when he is judged.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor suffer him to be condemned when he is judged.
34 Be waiting for the Lord, and keep his way; and you will be lifted up, and have the land for your heritage: when the evil-doers are cut off, you will see it.
Wait for the LORD, and keep His way, and He will exalt thee to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the evil-doer in great power, covering the earth like a great tree.
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a leafy tree in its native soil.
36 But he came to an end, and there was no sign of him; I made a search for him and he was not there.
But one passed by, and, lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Give attention to the good man, and take note of the upright; because the end of that man is peace.
Mark the man of integrity, and behold the upright; for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But as for the sinners, they will be cut off together; the end of the wrongdoers is destruction.
But transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the Lord is the saviour of the upright: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 And the Lord will be their help, and keep them safe: he will take them out of the hands of the evil-doers, and be their saviour, because they had faith in him.
And the LORD helpeth them, and delivereth them; He delivereth them from the wicked, and saveth them, because they have taken refuge in Him.