Psalms 37

1 A Psalme of David. Fret not thy selfe because of the wicked men, neither be enuious for the euill doers.

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

2 For they shall soone bee cut downe like grasse, and shall wither as the greene herbe.

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

3 Trust thou in the Lord and do good: dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed assuredly.

Have faith in the Lord, and do good; be at rest in the land, and go after righteousness.

4 And delite thy selfe in the Lord, and hee shall giue thee thine hearts desire.

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

5 Commit thy way vnto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to passe.

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

6 And he shall bring foorth thy righteousnes as the light, and thy iudgement as the noone day.

And he will make your righteousness be seen like the light, and your cause like the shining of the sun.

7 Waite patiently vpon the Lord and hope in him: fret not thy selfe for him which prospereth in his way: nor for the man that bringeth his enterprises to passe.

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.

8 Cease from anger, and leaue off wrath: fret not thy selfe also to doe euill.

Put an end to your wrath and be no longer bitter; do not give way to angry feeling which is a cause of sin.

9 For euill doers shalbe cut off, and they that wait vpon the Lord, they shall inherite the land.

For the evil-doers will be cut off: but those who have faith in the Lord will have the earth for their heritage.

10 Therefore yet a litle while, and the wicked shall not appeare, and thou shalt looke after his place, and he shall not be found.

For in a short time the evil-doer will be gone: you will go searching for his place, and it will not be there.

11 But meeke men shall possesse the earth, and shall haue their delite in the multitude of peace.

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

12 The wicked practiseth against the iust, and gnasheth his teeth against him.

The sinner has evil designs against the upright, lifting up the voice of wrath against him.

13 But the Lord shall laugh him to scorne: for he seeth, that his day is comming.

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

14 The wicked haue drawen their sworde, and haue bent their bowe, to cast downe the poore and needie, and to slay such as be of vpright conuersation.

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.

15 But their sword shall enter into their owne heart, and their bowes shalbe broken.

But their swords will be turned into their hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16 A small thing vnto the iust man is better, then great riches to the wicked and mightie.

The little which the good man has is better than the wealth of evil-doers.

17 For the armes of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord vpholdeth the iust men.

For the arms of the evil-doers will be broken: but the Lord is the support of the good.

18 The Lord knoweth the dayes of vpright men, and their inheritance shall bee perpetuall.

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

19 They shall not be confounded in the perilous time, and in the daies of famine they shall haue ynough.

They will not be shamed in the evil time, and in the days when all are in need of food they will have enough.

20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed as the fatte of lambes: euen with the smoke shall they consume away.

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.

21 The wicked boroweth and payeth not againe. but the righteous is mercifull, and giueth.

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

22 For such as be blessed of God, shall inherite the lande, and they that be cursed of him, shalbe cut off.

Those who have his blessing will have the earth for their heritage; but those who are cursed by him will be cut off.

23 The pathes of man are directed by the Lord: for he loueth his way.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he takes delight in his way.

24 Though he fall, hee shall not be cast off: for the Lord putteth vnder his hand.

Even if he has a fall he will not be without help: for the hand of the Lord is supporting him.

25 I haue beene yong, and am olde: yet I sawe neuer the righteous forsaken, nor his seede begging bread.

I have been young, and now am old, but I have not seen the good man without help, or his children looking for bread.

26 But hee is euer mercifull and lendeth, and his seede enioyeth the blessing.

All the day he is ready to have mercy and to give; his children are a blessing.

27 Flee from euill and doe good, and dwell for euer.

Be turned from evil, and do good; and your place will be for ever.

28 For the Lord loueth iudgement, and forsaketh not his Saintes: they shall be preserued for euermore: but the seede of the wicked shall be cut off.

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.

29 The righteous men shall inherit the lande, and dwell therein for euer.

The upright will have the earth for their heritage, and will go on living there for ever.

30 The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome, and his tongue will talke of iudgement.

The mouth of the good man says words of wisdom; the talk of his tongue is of righteousness.

31 For the Lawe of his God is in his heart, and his steppes shall not slide.

The law of his God is in his heart; he will never make a false step.

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

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

33 But the Lord wil not leaue him in his hand, nor condemne him, when he is iudged.

The Lord will not give him into their hands, or be against him when he is judged.

34 Waite thou on the Lord, and keepe his way, and he shall exalt thee, that thou shalt inherite the lande: when the wicked men shall perish, thou shalt see.

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.

35 I haue seene the wicked strong, and spreading himselfe like a greene bay tree.

I have seen the evil-doer in great power, covering the earth like a great tree.

36 Yet he passed away, and loe, he was gone, and I sought him, but he could not be founde.

But he came to an end, and there was no sign of him; I made a search for him and he was not there.

37 Marke the vpright man, and beholde the iust: for the end of that man is peace.

Give attention to the good man, and take note of the upright; because the end of that man is peace.

38 But the transgressours shall be destroyed together, and the ende of the wicked shall bee cut off.

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

39 But the saluation of the righteous men shalbe of the Lord: he shalbe their strength in the time of trouble.

But the Lord is the saviour of the upright: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

40 For the Lord shall helpe them, and deliuer them: he shall deliuer them from the wicked, and shall saue them, because they trust in him.

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.