Psalms 37

1 “Of David.” Do not fret thyself because of the evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

[A Psalm] of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

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

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

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

Trust in the LORD, and do good; [so] shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

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

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

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

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.

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

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

7 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.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

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

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

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

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

10 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.

For yet a little while, and the wicked [shall] not [be: ] yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it [shall] not [be].

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

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

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

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13 The Lord will laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming.

The Lord shall 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 cause the poor and needy to fall, and to slaughter such as are of an upright course [of life].

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.

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

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

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

A little that a righteous man hath [is] better than the riches of many wicked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 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.

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.

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

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

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

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

23 By the Lord are the steps of the righteous man established; and he findeth pleasure in his course [of life].

The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

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

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.

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

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

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

[He is] ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed [is] blessed.

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

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

28 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.

For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

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

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

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

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

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

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

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

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

33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, and will not 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 will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, shalt thou look on.

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see [it].

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

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

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

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

37 Observe the perfect man, and behold the upright; for there is a [happy] future for the man of peace.

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

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

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

39 And the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord: he is their strong-hold in the time of distress.

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

40 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.

And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.