Psalms 37

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

A psalm of David. Don't be upset over wicked people, or be jealous of those who do wrong.

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

For like grass, they will quickly dry up; like plants, they will soon wither away.

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

Trust in the Lord, and do good. Live in the land and feed on faithfulness.

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

Find your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you what you want the most.

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

Entrust all that you do to the Lord. Place your confidence in him and he will help you.

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

He will make your vindication shine like a light, the rightness of your cause like the noonday sun.

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 still in God's presence; wait patiently for him. Don't be upset over people who prosper when they carry out their evil schemes.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not yourself in any way to do evil.

Give up your anger! Let go your rage! Don't get mad—it only results in evil!

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

For the wicked will be destroyed, and those who trust in the Lord will take possession of the land.

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

In a little while the wicked will be no more—though you look for them you won't find them.

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

The humble will own the land; they will live there happily, in peace and prosperity.

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

The wicked plot evil against those who do good, gnashing their teeth at them.

13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he sees that his day is coming.

But the Lord laughs at them, for he sees their coming day of judgment.

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 draw their swords, and bend their bows to destroy the poor and needy, to kill those who live right.

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

But the swords of the wicked will slice through their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16 A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.

It's better to do right and only have a little, than to be wicked and rich.

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

For the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord supports those who do right.

18 The LORD knows the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

The Lord knows what is happening to the innocent and grants them an eternal inheritance.

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

They will not be humiliated in bad times; even in days of famine they will have plenty to eat.

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 will die. The enemies of the Lord are like the flowers of the field—they will vanish like smoke.

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

The wicked borrow, but don't repay; while those who do right give generously.

22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

Those who are blessed by God will own the land, but those he curses will die.

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delights in his way.

The Lord shows the right path to those who follow him, and is happy with the way they live.

24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Though they may trip up, they will not fall to the ground, for the Lord holds their hand.

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

Once I was young, and now I've grown old, yet I've never seen those who do right abandoned, nor their children having to beg for bread.

26 He is ever merciful, and lends; and his seed is blessed.

They are always kind, and generous with their loans; their children are a blessing.

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

Reject evil, do what is good, and you will live forever in the land.

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 loves fairness and he will never abandon those who are trustworthy. He will protect them forever. But the children of the wicked will die.

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

Those who do right will own the land and will live there forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of judgment.

People who do right give good advice, explaining what is fair.

31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

God's law lives in their minds, so they will not slip from his way.

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

The wicked lie in wait for those who do good, intending to kill them.

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

But the Lord will not let them fall into the hands of the wicked, and he will not let those who do good be condemned when they are put on trial.

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.

Trust in the Lord, and stay on his path. He will lift you up and give you the land to own. You will see when the wicked are destroyed.

35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

I have watched the wicked acting brutally, spreading like a large tree in its native land.

36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

But when I passed that way the next time, they were gone. I searched for them but couldn't find them.

37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

Observe the innocent, look at those who do right! Those who love peace have a future!

38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

But those who are rebellious will be altogether destroyed; the wicked have no future.

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

The Lord saves those who live right; he is their protection in times of trouble.

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.

The Lord helps them and rescues them from the wicked. He saves them because they go to him for protection.