Psalms 37

1 [By David.] Do not fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

Of David. Be not kindled to wrath at the wicked, nor envious of those who work wrong;

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

for, like grass, they will speedily wither, and fade like the green of young grass.

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

Trust in the Lord, and do good; remain in the land, and deal faithfully:

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

then the Lord will be your delight, he will grant you your heart’s petitions.

5 Commit your way to Jehovah. Trust also in him, and he will act.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act,

6 And he will make your righteousness go forth as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

making clear as the light your right, and your just cause clear as the noon-day.

7 Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

In silence and patience wait on the Lord. Be not kindled to anger at those who prosper. At those who execute evil devices.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.

Desist from anger, abandon wrath: be not kindled to anger it leads but to evil:

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

for evildoers will be cut off, but the land will be theirs, who wait on the Lord.

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn't there.

Yet but a little, and the wicked vanish: look at their place: they are there no more.

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

But the humble will have the land, and the rapture of peace in abundance.

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

The wicked plots against the righteous, snarls like a wild animal;

13 Jehovah will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

the Lord laughs, for he sees 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, to kill those who are upright in the way.

The wicked have drawn the sword, and bent the bow, to fell the poor, to slay those who walk uprightly;

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

but their sword will pierce their own heart, and their bows will be broken in pieces.

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

Better is the righteous person’s little than the wealth of many wicked.

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

For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 Jehovah knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

The Lord watches over the days of the blameless, their heritage will continue forever.

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

They will not be shamed in the evil time, in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

20 But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of Jehovah shall be like the burning of an oven. They will vanish—vanish like smoke.

Because the wicked will perish: but the foes of the Lord, like a brand in the oven, will vanish, like smoke they will vanish.

21 The wicked borrow, and do not pay back, but the righteous give generously.

The wicked must borrow and cannot pay back, but the righteous is lavish and gives.

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

For those blest by the Lord inherit the land, while those whom he curses will be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by Jehovah, and he delights in his way.

The Lord supports the steps of those with whom he is pleased.

24 Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for Jehovah holds him up with his hand.

Though they fall, they will not be cast headlong, for the Lord holds their hands.

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

Never, from youth to age, have I seen the righteous forsaken, or their children begging bread.

26 All day long he deals graciously and lends, and his offspring are a blessing.

They are ever lavishly lending, and their children are fountains of blessing.

27 Turn away from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.

Turn away from evil and do good and you will live in the land forever.

28 For Jehovah loves justice, and doesn't forsake his faithful ones. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

For the Lord loves justice, he does not forsake his friends. The unrighteous will be destroyed forever, and the seed of the wicked will be cut off.

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

But the land will belong to the righteous, they will live upon it forever,

30 The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice.

The mouth of the righteous murmurs wisdom, and words of justice are on their tongues.

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

The law of their God is in their heart, their steps are never unsteady.

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

The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to put them to death.

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

But the Lord leaves them not in their hand: at their trial they will not be held guilty.

34 Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

Wait on the Lord, and observe his way: he will lift you to honor the land will be yours, you will feast your eyes on the doom of the wicked.

35 I have seen the wicked wielding great power, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.

I have seen the wicked exultant, lifting themselves like a cedar of Lebanon.

36 And I passed by, and look, he was not. And I looked for him, but he could not be found.

But the moment I passed, they vanished! I sought for them, but they could not be found.

37 Observe the blameless, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

Preserve your honor and practise uprightness, for such a person fares well in the end.

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

But transgressors will perish together. Cut off are the wicked forever.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

The righteous are saved by the Lord, who in time of distress is their refuge:

40 And Jehovah helps them, and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, Because they have taken refuge in him.

the Lord helps and rescue them, from the wicked he rescues and saves them, because they take refuge in him.