Psalms 37

1 [A Psalm] of David. Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against them that 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 as the green herb.

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

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and follow after faithfulness.

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

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

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

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

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

6 Add he shall make thy righteousness to go forth as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

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

7 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.

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: fret not thyself, [it tendeth] only to evil-doing.

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

9 For evil-doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they 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 shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and he shall not be.

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

11 But the meek 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 plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

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

13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth 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 slay such as be 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, and 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 hath 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 the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

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

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

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

19 They shall not be ashamed in the time of evil: and 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, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the excellency of the pastures: they shall consume; in smoke shall they consume away.

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 borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.

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

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

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

23 A man’s goings are established of the LORD; and he delighteth in his way.

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

24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him 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 have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging [their] bread.

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

26 All the day long he dealeth graciously, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

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

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

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

28 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.

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 dwell therein for ever.

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

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

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 watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

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

33 The LORD 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 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.

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

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

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

36 But one passed by, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought 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 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the latter end of [that] man is peace.

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

38 As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together: the latter end of the wicked shall be cut off.

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

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

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

40 And the LORD helpeth them, and rescueth them: he rescueth them from the wicked, and saveth 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.