Psalms 37

1 [A Psalm] of David. Fret not yourself because of evil-doers, neither be envious of them that do iniquity.

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

2 For they shall soon be withered as the grass, and shall soon fall away as the green herbs.

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

3 Hope in the Lord, and do good; and dwell on the land, and you shall be fed with the wealth of it.

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

4 Delight [yourself] in the Lord; and he shall grant you the requests of your heart.

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

5 Disclose your way to the Lord, and hope in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.

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

6 And he shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon-day.

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

7 Submit yourself to the Lord, and supplicate him: fret not yourself because of him that prospers in his way, at the man that does unlawful deeds.

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 ease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not yourself so as to do evil.

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

9 For evil-doers shall be destroyed: but they that wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the land.

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

10 And yet a little while, and the sinner shall not be, and you shall seek for his place, and shall 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 earth; and shall delight [themselves] in the abundance of peace.

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

12 The sinner will watch for the righteous, and gnash his teeth upon him.

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

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

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

14 Sinners have drawn their swords, they have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy one, [and] to kill the upright in 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] heart, and their bows be broken.

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

16 A little is better to the righteous than abundant wealth of sinners.

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

17 For the arms of sinners shall be broken; but the Lord supports the righteous.

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

18 The Lord knows the ways of the perfect; 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 ashamed in an evil time; and in days of famine they shall be satisfied.

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

20 For the sinners shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord at the moment of their being honored and exalted have utterly vanished 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 borrows, and will not pay again: but the righteous has compassion, and gives.

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

22 For they that bless him shall inherit the earth; and they that curse him shall be utterly destroyed.

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

23 The steps of a man are rightly ordered by the Lord: and he will take pleasure in his way.

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

24 When he falls, he shall not be ruined: for the Lord supports his hand.

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

25 I was [once] young, indeed I am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous 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 is merciful, and lends continually; and his seed shall be blessed.

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

27 Turn aside from evil, and do good; and dwell for ever.

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

28 For the Lord loves judgment, and will not forsake his saints; they shall be preserved for ever: the blameless shall be avenged, but the seed of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.

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 righteous shall inherit the earth, and dwell upon it for ever.

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

30 The mouth of the righteous will meditate wisdom, and his tongue will speak of 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 slide.

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

32 The sinner watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.

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

33 But the Lord will not leave him in his hands, nor by any means condemn him when he is judged.

The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor 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 destroyed, you shall see [it].

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 saw the ungodly very highly exalting himself, and lifting himself 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 Yet I passed by, and behold! he was not: and I sought him, but 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 Maintain innocence, and behold uprightness: for there is a remnant to the peaceful man.

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

38 But the transgressors shall be utterly destroyed together: the remnants of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.

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

39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; and he is their defender in the time of affliction.

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

40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: and he shall rescue them from sinners, 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.