< Psalms 37 >
1 A psalm of David. Do not be irritated because of evildoers; do not be envious of those who act unrighteously.
“A psalm of David.” Be not thou angry on account of the wicked, Nor be envious of those who do iniquity.
2 For they will soon dry up as the grass and wither as the green plants.
For soon shall they be cut down like grass, And wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in Yahweh and do what is good; settle in the land and graze in faithfulness.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; Abide in the land, and delight in faithfulness.
4 Then delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Place thy delight in the LORD. And he will give thee thy heart's desires.
5 Give your ways to Yahweh; trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.
Commit thy way to the LORD; Trust in him, and he will give thee success!
6 He will display your justice like the daylight and your innocence like the day at noon.
He will cause thy justice to shine forth like the light, And thy righteousness like the noonday's brightness.
7 Be still before Yahweh and wait patiently for him. Do not be angry if someone succeeds in what he does, or when he makes evil plots.
Hope thou patiently on the LORD, And in him place thy trust! Be not angry on account of the prosperous, —On account of him that deviseth deceit!
8 Do not be angry and frustrated. Do not worry. This only makes trouble.
Cease from anger; give not way to wrath; Be not provoked, so as to do evil!
9 Evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh will inherit the land.
For evil-doers shall be rooted out; But they who trust in the LORD, they shall inherit the land.
10 In a little while the evil man will disappear; you will look at his place, but he will be gone.
Yet a little while, and the wicked shall be no more; Thou mayst look for his place, and he will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land and will delight in great prosperity.
But the meek shall inherit the land, And delight themselves in the fulness of prosperity.
12 The wicked man plots against the righteous and he grinds his teeth in rage against him.
The wicked man plotteth against the just, And gnasheth at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming.
The Lord laugheth at him; For he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out their swords and have bent their bows to cast down the oppressed and needy, to kill those who are upright.
The wicked draw the sword, And bend their bow, To cast down the afflicted and the needy, And to slay the upright.
15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
Their swords shall enter their own hearts, And their bows shall be broken in pieces.
16 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked people.
Better is the little of the righteous man Than the great abundance of the wicked;
17 For the arms of the wicked people will be broken, but Yahweh supports the righteous people.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the LORD will uphold the righteous.
18 Yahweh watches over the blameless day by day, and their heritage will be forever.
The LORD careth for the life of the upright, And their inheritance shall endure for ever.
19 They will not be ashamed when times are bad. When famine comes, they will have enough to eat.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall have enough.
20 But evil men will perish. Yahweh's enemies will be like the glory of the pastures; they will be consumed and disappear in the smoke.
But the wicked shall perish; Yea, the enemies of the LORD shall be consumed, like the glory of the fields; They shall be consumed into smoke.
21 The wicked person borrows but does not repay, but the righteous person is generous and gives.
The wicked borroweth, and repayeth not; But the righteous is merciful and bountiful.
22 Those who are blessed by God will inherit the land; those who are cursed by him will be cut off.
For they who are blessed by God shall inherit the land, And they who are cursed by him shall be rooted out.
23 It is by Yahweh that a man's steps are established, the man whose way is commendable in God's sight.
The steps of the good man are directed by the LORD; He delighteth himself in his way.
24 Though he stumbles, he will not fall down, for Yahweh is holding him with his hand.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, For the LORD holdeth him by the hand.
25 I was young and now am old; I have never seen the righteous person abandoned or his children begging for bread.
I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his offspring begging bread.
26 All the day long he is gracious and lends, and his children become a blessing.
He is ever merciful and lendeth, And his offspring shall be blessed.
27 Turn away from evil and do what is right; then you will be safe forever.
Depart from evil, and do good; So thou shalt dwell in the land for ever.
28 For Yahweh loves justice and does not abandon his faithful followers. They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
For the LORD loveth righteousness, And forsaketh not his servants; They are preserved for ever; But the posterity of the wicked shall be rooted out.
29 The righteous will inherit the land and live there forever.
The righteous shall inherit the land, And shall dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous person speaks wisdom and increases justice.
The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom, And his tongue speaketh what is right.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; his feet will not slip.
The law of his God is in his heart; His footsteps shall not slip.
32 The wicked person watches the righteous person and seeks to kill him.
The wicked watcheth the righteous, And seeketh to slay him;
33 Yahweh will not abandon him into the evil person's hand or condemn him when he is judged.
The Lord will not leave him in his hand, Nor suffer him to be condemned, when he is judged.
34 Wait for Yahweh and keep his way, and he will raise you up to possess the land. You will see when the wicked are cut off.
Trust in the LORD, and keep his way, And he will exalt thee to the possession of the land, Whilst thou shalt see the destruction of the wicked!
35 I have seen the wicked and terrifying person spread out like a green tree in its native soil.
I have seen a wicked man in great power, And spreading himself like a green cedar;
36 But when I passed by again, he was not there. I looked for him, but he could not be found.
But he passed away, and, lo! he was no more; Yea, I sought him, but he was not found.
37 Observe the man of integrity, and mark the upright; there is a good future for a man of peace.
Mark the righteous man, and behold the upright, That posterity is to the man of peace!
38 Sinners will be totally destroyed; the future for the wicked man is cut off.
But transgressors will all be destroyed; The posterity of the wicked shall be rooted out.
39 Salvation of the righteous comes from Yahweh; he protects them in the times of trouble.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD. He is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 Yahweh helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from evil men and saves them because they have taken refuge in him.
The LORD will help and deliver them; He will deliver them from their enemies, and save them, Because they trust in him.