Psalm 37:title–20

The Protection of the Righteous and the Destruction of the Wicked

37Of David.^a

¹Do not fret because of evildoers;

do not be envious of doers of wickedness.

²For like the grass they will dry up quickly,

and like green vegetation they will wither.

³Trust Yahweh and do good.

Abide in the land and feed on faithfulness.^b

⁴Take pleasure in Yahweh as well,

and he will give to you the requests of your heart.

⁵Commit to^c Yahweh your way;

Trust also on him and he will act.

⁶Then he will bring forth your righteousness like the light,

and your justice like the noonday.

⁷Be quiet before Yahweh and wait for him.

Do not fret about one who succeeds in his way,

about a man making plots.

⁸Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.

Do not fret; it only brings evil.

⁹For evildoers will be cut off,

but those who wait for Yahweh—

they will possess the land.

¹⁰And^d yet a little while and the wicked will not be,

and you will look carefully upon his place, but he will not be.

¹¹But the afflicted will possess the land,

and they will take pleasure in an abundance of peace.

¹²The wicked plans evil against the righteous,

and gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³The Lord laughs at him,

for he sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow

to throw down the poor and the needy,

to kill those upright in their way.

¹⁵Their sword will enter into their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶The little belonging to the righteous is better

than the wealth of many wicked.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but Yahweh supports the righteous.

¹⁸Yahweh knows the days of the blameless,

and their inheritance will be forever.

¹⁹They will not be put to shame in distressing times,^e

and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

²⁰But the wicked will perish,

and the enemies of Yahweh will be like the splendor of the pastures.

They vanish; in smoke they vanish.