Psalm 37

¹Don’t fret because of evildoers,

neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.

²For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,

and wither like the green herb.

³Trust in the LORD, and do good.

Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴Also delight yourself in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the LORD.

Trust also in him, and he will do this:

⁶he will make your righteousness shine out like light,

and your justice as the noon day sun.

⁷Rest 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.

⁸Cease from anger, and forsake wrath.

Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.

⁹For evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

¹⁰For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more.

Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.

¹¹But the humble shall inherit the land,

and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

¹²The wicked plots against the just,

and gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³The Lord will laugh at him,

for he sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴The 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.

¹⁵Their sword shall enter into their own heart.

Their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶Better is a little that the righteous has,

than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸The LORD knows the days of the perfect.

Their inheritance shall be forever.

¹⁹They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil.

In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

²⁰But the wicked shall perish.

The enemies of the LORD shall be like the beauty of the fields.

They will vanish—

vanish like smoke.

²¹The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back,

but the righteous give generously.

²²For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land.

Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³A man’s steps are established by the LORD.

He delights in his way.

²⁴Though he stumble, he shall not fall,

for the LORD holds him up with his hand.

²⁵I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,

nor his children begging for bread.

²⁶All day long he deals graciously, and lends.

His offspring is blessed.

²⁷Depart from evil, and do good.

Live securely forever.

²⁸For the LORD loves justice,

and doesn’t forsake his saints.

They are preserved forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

²⁹The righteous shall inherit the land,

and live in it forever.

³⁰The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom.

His tongue speaks justice.

³¹The law of his God is in his heart.

None of his steps shall slide.

³²The wicked watch the righteous,

and seek to kill him.

³³The LORD will not leave him in his hand,

nor condemn him when he is judged.

³⁴Wait 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.

³⁵I have seen the wicked in great power,

spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

³⁶But he passed away, and behold, he was not.

Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found.

³⁷Mark the perfect man, and see the upright,

for there is a future for the man of peace.

³⁸As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together.

The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD.

He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰The LORD helps them and rescues them.

He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,

because they have taken refuge in him.