Psalms 37

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

A psalm for David himself. Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that work iniquity.

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

For they shall shortly wither away as grass, and as the green herbs shall quickly fall.

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

Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed 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 give thee the requests of thy heart.

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

Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it.

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

And he will bring forth thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

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 Envy not the man who prospereth in his way; the man who doth unjust things.

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

Cease from anger, and leave rage; have no emulation to do evil.

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

For the evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord shall 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.

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.

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

But the meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight in abundance of peace.

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

The sinner shall watch the just man: and shall gnash upon him with his teeth.

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

But the Lord shall laugh at him: for he foreseeth that his day shall 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 wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill 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.

Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked.

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

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken in pieces; but the Lord strengtheneth the just.

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

The Lord knoweth the days of undefiled; and their inheritance shall be for ever.

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

They shall not be confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be filled:

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.

Because the wicked shall perish. And the enemies of the Lord, presently after they shall be honoured and exalted, shall come to nothing and vanish like smoke.

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

The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

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

For such as bless him shall inherit the land: but such as curse him shall perish.

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

With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well his way.

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

When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth 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 am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.

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

He sheweth mercy, and lendeth all the day long; and his seed shall be in blessing.

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

Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever 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 loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: they shall be preserved for ever. The unjust shall be punished, and the seed of the wicked shall perish.

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

But the just shall inherit the land, and shall dwell therein for evermore.

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

The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom: and his tongue shall 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 wicked watcheth the just man, and seeketh 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 leave in his hands; nor condemn him when he shall 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.

Expect the Lord and keep his way: and he will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the sinners shall perish thou shalt see.

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

I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Libanus.

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 lo, 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 innocence, and behold justice: for there are remnants for the peaceable man.

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

But the unjust shall be destroyed together: the remnants of the wicked shall perish.

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 the time of trouble.

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 deliver them: and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them, because they have hoped in him.