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 fret thyself because of the evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 leaue off wrath: fret not thy selfe also to doe euill.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Lord will laugh at him; for he seeth 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 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 But their sword shall enter into their owne heart, and their bowes shalbe broken.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23 The pathes of man are directed by the Lord: for he loueth 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, hee shall not be cast off: for the Lord putteth vnder his hand.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth his hand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Lord will not leave him in his hand, and will not condemn 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.

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

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

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

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

37 Marke the vpright man, and beholde the iust: 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 transgressours shall be destroyed together, and the ende of the wicked shall bee cut off.

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

39 But the saluation of the righteous men shalbe of the Lord: he shalbe 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 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 helpeth them, and delivereth them; he will deliver them from the wicked, and save them; because they have put their trust in him.