Psalms 37

1 By David. Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

A Psalm of David himself. Do not choose to imitate the malicious; neither should you envy those who work iniquity.

2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.

For they will quickly wither away like dry grass, and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

Hope in the Lord and do good, and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches.

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

Delight in the Lord, and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD. Trust also in him, and he will do this:

Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will accomplish it.

6 he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun.

And he will bring forth your justice like the light, and your judgment like the midday.

7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

Be subject to the Lord and pray to him. Do not choose to compete with him who prospers in his way, with the man who does injustice.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.

Cease from wrath and leave behind rage. Do not choose to imitate the malicious.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

For those who are malicious will be exterminated. But those who remain with the Lord, these will inherit 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.

Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be. And you will search his place and find nothing.

11 But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

But the meek shall inherit the earth, and they will delight in the multitude of peace.

12 The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.

The sinner will observe the just, and he will gnash his teeth over him.

13 The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

But the Lord will laugh at him: for he knows in advance that his day will come.

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 on the path.

The sinners have drawn the sword, they have bent their bow, so as to cast down the poor and the needy, so as to massacre the upright of heart.

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

Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

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

A little is better to the just than the many riches of sinners.

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

For the arms of sinners will be crushed, but the Lord confirms the just.

18 The LORD knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.

The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, and their inheritance will be in eternity.

19 They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

They will not be confounded in an evil time; and in days of famine, they will be satisfied:

20 But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of the LORD shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish— vanish like smoke.

for sinners will perish. Truly, the adversaries of the Lord, soon after they have been honored and exalted, will fade away, in the same way that smoke fades away.

21 The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.

The sinner will lend and not release, but the just one shows compassion and donates.

22 For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will perish.

23 A man’s steps are established by the LORD. He delights in his way.

The steps of a man will be directed by the Lord, and he will choose his way.

24 Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with his hand.

When he falls, he will not be harmed, because the Lord places his hand under him.

25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.

I have been young, and now I am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his offspring seeking bread.

26 All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed.

He shows compassion and lends, all day long, and his offspring will be in blessing.

27 Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.

Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell forever and ever.

28 For the LORD loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

For the Lord loves judgment, and he will not abandon his saints. They will be kept safe in eternity. The unjust will be punished, and the offspring of the impious will perish.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.

But the just will inherit the earth, and they will dwell upon it forever and ever.

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

The mouth of the just one will express wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment.

31 The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.

The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.

32 The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him.

The sinner considers the just one and seeks to put him to death.

33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

But the Lord will not abandon him into his hands, nor condemn him, when he will be judged.

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.

Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way. And he will exalt you, so as to inherit the land that you may seize. When the sinners will have passed away, then you shall see.

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

I have seen the impious over-exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon.

36 But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

And I passed by, and behold, he was not. And I sought him, and his place was not found.

37 Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.

Keep to innocence, and gaze upon fairness: because there are allotments for the peaceful man.

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

But the unjust will be destroyed together: the allotments of the impious will pass away.

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

But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in time of tribulation.

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

And the Lord will help them and free them. And he will rescue them from sinners and save them, because they have hoped in him.