Psalms 37

1 [A Psalm] of David. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, and be not envious of them that work unrighteousness;

“Of David.” Do not fret thyself because of the evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

2 for they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and fade as the green herb.

For like the grass they shall soon be mowed down, and like the green herb shall they wither.

3 Confide in Jehovah, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on faithfulness;

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed [thyself] with truthfulness.

4 and delight thyself in Jehovah, and he will give thee the desires of thy heart.

And delight thyself in the Lord, and he will give thee the wishes of thy heart.

5 Commit thy way unto Jehovah, and rely upon him: he will bring [it] to pass;

Commit thy way unto the Lord, and trust in him: and he will accomplish it.

6 and he will bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

And he will bring forth as the light thy righteousness, and the justice of thy [cause] as the noonday.

7 Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him that prospereth in his way, because of the man that bringeth mischievous devices to pass.

Be silent before the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who practices wicked devices.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret not thyself: it [would be] only to do evil.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

9 For evil-doers shall be cut off; but those that wait on Jehovah, they shall possess the land.

For evil-doers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon the Lord, these—shall truly inherit the land.

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked is not; and thou considerest his place, but he is not.

For yet but for a little while, and the wicked shall be no more: yea, thou wilt look carefully at his place, and he shall not be there.

11 But the meek shall possess the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of prosperity.

But the meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves because of the abundance of peace.

12 The wicked plotteth against the righteous, and gnasheth his teeth against him.

The wicked purposeth evil against the just, and gnasheth against him with his teeth.

13 The Lord laugheth at him; for he seeth that his day is coming.

The Lord will laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the afflicted and needy, to slay those that are upright in [the] way:

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cause the poor and needy to fall, and to slaughter such as are of an upright course [of life].

15 their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

[But] their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16 The little that the righteous hath is better than the abundance of many wicked;

Better is the little that the righteous hath, than the great riches of many wicked.

17 for the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Jehovah upholdeth the righteous.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the upholder of the righteous is the Lord.

18 Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect; and their inheritance shall be for ever:

The Lord regardeth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall endure for ever.

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

They shall not be made ashamed in the time of unhappiness; and in the days of famine shall they be satisfied.

20 For the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Jehovah shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume, like smoke shall they consume away.

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the beauty of the meadow: they pass away; in smoke they pass away.

21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; but the righteous is gracious and giveth:

The wicked borroweth, and repayeth not; but the righteous is beneficent, and giveth.

22 for those blessed of him shall possess the land, and they that are cursed of him shall be cut off.

For those blessed of him shall inherit the land; and those cursed of him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by Jehovah, and he delighteth in his way:

By the Lord are the steps of the righteous man established; and he findeth pleasure in his course [of life].

24 though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for Jehovah upholdeth his hand.

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, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread:

I have been young, and I am also grown old: yet have I never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking for bread.

26 all the day he is gracious and lendeth, and his seed shall be a blessing.

He is all the time beneficent, and lendeth: and his seed will be for a blessing.

27 Depart from evil, and do good, and dwell for evermore;

Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

28 for Jehovah loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: They are preserved for ever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

For the Lord loveth justice, and never forsaketh his pious servants: they are for ever preserved; but the seed of the wicked will be cut off.

29 The righteous shall possess the land, and dwell therein for ever.

The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell for ever therein.

30 The mouth of the righteous proffereth wisdom, and his tongue speaketh judgment;

The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom, and his tongue speaketh what is just.

31 the law of his God is in his heart; his goings shall not slide.

The law of his God is in his heart: none of his steps shall slip.

32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him:

The wicked looketh out for the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

33 Jehovah will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

The Lord will not leave him in his hand, and will not condemn him when he is judged.

34 Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, and he will exalt thee to possess the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see [it].

Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, shalt thou look on.

35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading like a green tree in its native soil:

I have seen the wicked terrible in power, and striking root like a green tree in its native soil.

36 but he passed away, and behold, he was not; and I sought him, but he was not found.

Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was no more: and I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the perfect, and behold the upright, for the end of [that] man is peace;

Observe the perfect man, and behold the upright; for there is a [happy] future for the man of peace.

38 but the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

But the transgressors are destroyed together: the future of the wicked is cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is of Jehovah: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

And the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord: he is their strong-hold in the time of distress.

40 And Jehovah will help them and deliver them: he will deliver them from the wicked, and save them; for they trust in him.

And the Lord helpeth them, and delivereth them; he will deliver them from the wicked, and save them; because they have put their trust in him.