Psalms 37

1 Of David. Do not be angry because of the wrongdoers, or have envy of the workers of evil.

Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither be you envious against the workers of iniquity.

2 For they will quickly be cut down like grass, and become dry like the green plants.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither 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; so shall you dwell in the land, and truly you shall be fed.

4 So will your delight be in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires.

Delight yourself also in the LORD: and he shall give you the desires of your heart.

5 Put your life in the hands of the Lord; have faith in him and he will do it.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall 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 shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment 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.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings 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 yourself in any wise to do evil.

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 evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

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.

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yes, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

11 But the gentle will have the earth for their heritage; they will take their delight in peace without measure.

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall 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 plots against the just, and gnashes on him with his teeth.

13 He will be laughed at by the Lord, who sees that his day is coming.

The LORD shall laugh at him: for he sees 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, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

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.

A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches 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 upholds the righteous.

18 The days of the upright are numbered by the Lord, and their heritage will be for ever.

The LORD knows the days of the upright: 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 evil time: 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.

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

21 The sinner takes money and does not give it back; but the upright man has mercy, and gives to others.

The wicked borrows, and pays not again: but the righteous shows mercy, and gives.

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 be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be 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.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delights 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 upholds him with 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.

He is ever merciful, and lends; 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 ever more.

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 loves judgment, and forsakes 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 speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of judgment.

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 shall slide.

32 The sinners are watching the upright man, desiring to put him to death.

The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks 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 condemn him 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 on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt you to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, you shall 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 green bay tree.

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.

Yet he passed away, and, see, he was not: yes, 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 perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

38 But as for the sinners, they will be cut off together; the end of the wrongdoers is destruction.

But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end 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 strength 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 shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.