Psalms 37

1 [A Psalm] of David. Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

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; [so] shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

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

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

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

5 Commit thy way to the LORD; trust also in him; and he will bring [it] to pass.

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

6 And he will bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day.

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 in any wise to do evil.

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 earth.

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]: yes, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it [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 earth; 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 will 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, [and] to slay such as are of upright deportment.

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 A little that a righteous man hath [is] better than the riches 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 upright: 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 evil time: 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 fat of lambs: they shall consume; into 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 showeth mercy, and giveth.

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 earth; and [they that 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 [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

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

24 Though he should 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 I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

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

26 [He is] ever merciful, 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; and 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 speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of 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 will 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 bay tree.

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

36 Yet he passed away, and lo, he [was] not: yes, 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 end of [that] man [is] peace.

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

38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the 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 strength in the time of trouble.

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

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

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