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. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

2 For they will soon dry up as the grass and wither as the green plants.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as 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; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

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

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

5 Give your ways to Yahweh; trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.

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

6 He will display your justice like the daylight and your innocence like the day at noon.

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

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.

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 Do not be angry and frustrated. Do not worry. This only makes trouble.

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

9 Evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh will inherit the land.

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

10 In a little while the evil man will disappear; you will look at his place, but he will be gone.

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 will inherit the land and will delight in great prosperity.

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

12 The wicked man plots against the righteous and he grinds his teeth in rage against him.

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

13 The Lord laughs at him, for he sees 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 their swords and have bent their bows to cast down the oppressed and needy, to kill those who are upright.

The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as are of upright conduct.

15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

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

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

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many 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 upholdeth the righteous.

18 Yahweh watches over the blameless day by day, and their heritage will be forever.

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

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, 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 person borrows but does not repay, but the righteous person is generous and gives.

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

22 Those who are blessed by God will inherit the land; those who are cursed by him will be cut off.

For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the earth; and they that are cursed by him shall be cut off.

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 a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

24 Though he stumbles, he will not fall down, for Yahweh is holding him with his hand.

Though he should fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his 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 I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed 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 seed is blessed.

27 Turn away from evil and do what is right; then you will be safe forever.

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

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

29 The righteous will inherit the land and live there forever.

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

30 The mouth of the righteous person speaks wisdom and increases justice.

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

31 The law of his God is in his heart; his feet will not slip.

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

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 condemn him 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.

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 and terrifying person spread out 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 But when I passed by again, he was not there. I looked for 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 man of integrity, and mark the upright; there is a good future for a man of peace.

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

38 Sinners will be totally destroyed; the future for the wicked man is cut off.

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

39 Salvation of the righteous comes from Yahweh; he protects them in the times of trouble.

But the salvation of the righteous is of 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.

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