Psalms 37

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

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 like 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. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

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

4 Also delight yourself in the LORD, and he will 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 to the LORD. Trust also in him, and he will act.

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

6 And he will make your righteousness go forth as the light, and your justice 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. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

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. Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.

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 who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

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 will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn't there.

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

11 But the humble shall inherit the land, 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 at him with his teeth.

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

13 The LORD will 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, to kill those who are upright in the way.

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. Their bows shall be broken.

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

16 Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance 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 perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

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

19 They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. 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. The enemies of the LORD shall be like the burning of an oven. They will vanish—vanish like smoke.

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

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

22 For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by 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 man are established 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 stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up 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 I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for 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 All day long he deals graciously and lends, and his offspring are a blessing.

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

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

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

28 For the LORD 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 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 live in it forever.

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

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

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 kill 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 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.

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 wielding great power, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.

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

36 And I passed by, and look, he was not. And I looked for 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 Observe the blameless, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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