Psalm 37:1–20

¹Don’t be upset because of sinful people.

Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.

²Like grass, they will soon dry up.

Like green plants, they will soon die.

³Trust in the Lord and do good.

Then you will live in the land and enjoy its food.

⁴Find your delight in the Lord.

Then he will give you everything your heart really wants.

⁵Commit your life to the Lord.

Here is what he will do if you trust in him.

⁶He will make your godly ways shine like the dawn.

He will make your honest life shine like the sun at noon.

⁷Be still. Be patient. Wait for the Lord to act.

Don’t be upset when other people succeed.

Don’t be upset when they carry out their evil plans.

⁸Keep from being angry. Turn away from anger.

Don’t be upset. That only leads to evil.

⁹Sinful people will be cut off from the land.

But it will be given to those who put their hope in the Lord.

¹⁰In a little while, there won’t be any more sinners.

Even if you look for them, you won’t be able to find them.

¹¹But those who are free of pride will be given the land.

They will enjoy great peace.

¹²Sinful people make plans to harm those who do what is right.

They grind their teeth at them.

¹³But the Lord laughs at those who do evil.

He knows the day is coming when he will judge them.

¹⁴Sinners pull out their swords.

They bend their bows.

They want to kill poor and needy people.

They plan to murder those who lead honest lives.

¹⁵But they will be killed with their own swords.

Their own bows will be broken.

¹⁶Those who do what is right may have very little.

But it’s better than the wealth of many sinners.

¹⁷The power of those who are evil will be broken.

But the Lord takes good care of those who do what is right.

¹⁸Every day the Lord watches over those who are without blame.

What he has given them will last forever.

¹⁹When trouble comes to them, they will have what they need.

When there is little food in the land, they will still have plenty.

²⁰But sinful people will die.

The Lord’s enemies will be like flowers in the field.

They will disappear like smoke.