Psalms 37

1 A psalm for David himself. Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that work iniquity.

By David. Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

2 For they shall shortly wither away as grass, and as the green herbs shall quickly fall.

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

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches.

Trust in the LORD, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart.

Also delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it.

Commit your way to the LORD. Trust also in him, and he will do this:

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

he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun.

7 Be subject to the Lord and pray to him Envy not the man who prospereth in his way; the man who doth unjust things.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

8 Cease from anger, and leave rage; have no emulation to do evil.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.

9 For the evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the land.

For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.

For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.

11 But the meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight in abundance of peace.

But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12 The sinner shall watch the just man: and shall gnash upon him with his teeth.

The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.

13 But the Lord shall laugh at him: for he foreseeth that his day shall come.

The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill the upright of heart.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright on the path.

15 Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked.

Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken in pieces; but the Lord strengtheneth the just.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knoweth the days of undefiled; and their inheritance shall be for ever.

The LORD knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

19 They shall not be confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be filled:

They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20 Because the wicked shall perish. And the enemies of the Lord, presently after they shall be honoured and exalted, shall come to nothing and vanish like smoke.

But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the LORD shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish— vanish like smoke.

21 The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

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

22 For such as bless him shall inherit the land: but such as curse him shall perish.

For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well his way.

A man’s steps are established by the LORD. He delights in his way.

24 When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth his hand under him.

Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.

I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.

26 He sheweth mercy, and lendeth all the day long; and his seed shall be in blessing.

All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.

27 Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever and ever.

Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.

28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: they shall be preserved for ever. The unjust shall be punished, and the seed of the wicked shall perish.

For the LORD loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

29 But the just shall inherit the land, and shall dwell therein for evermore.

The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.

30 The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom: and his tongue shall speak judgment.

The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.

31 The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.

The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.

32 The wicked watcheth the just man, and seeketh to put him to death,

The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him.

33 But the Lord will not leave in his hands; nor condemn him when he shall be judged.

The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

34 Expect the Lord and keep his way: and he will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the sinners shall perish thou shalt see.

Wait for the LORD, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

35 I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Libanus.

I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

36 And I passed by, and lo, he was not: and I sought him and his place was not found.

But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Keep innocence, and behold justice: for there are remnants for the peaceable man.

Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But the unjust shall be destroyed together: the remnants of the wicked shall perish.

As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in the time of trouble.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

40 And the Lord will help them and deliver them: and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them, because they have hoped in him.

The LORD helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.