Psalms 37

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

“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 wither as the green herb.

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

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shall you dwell in the land, and truly you shall be fed.

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

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

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

5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

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

6 And he shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your 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 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.

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 yourself in any wise to do evil.

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

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

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 shall not be: yes, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

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 inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be 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 good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delights 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 the LORD upholds him with 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; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed 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 He is ever merciful, and lends; and his seed is blessed.

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 ever more.

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

28 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.

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 inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

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

30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of 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; none of his steps shall slide.

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

32 The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him.

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

33 The LORD 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 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.

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 himself like a green 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, see, he was not: yes, I sought him, but he could not be 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 man, 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 end 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 the LORD: 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 the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save 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.