Psalm 37:1–40

¹Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious^v of those who do wrong;^w

²for like the grass they will soon wither,^x

like green plants they will soon die away.^y

³Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land^z and enjoy safe pasture.^a

⁴Take delight^b in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.^c

⁵Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him^d and he will do this:

⁶He will make your righteous reward^e shine like the dawn,^f

your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷Be still^g before the Lord

and wait patiently^h for him;

do not fretⁱ when people succeed in their ways,^j

when they carry out their wicked schemes.^k

⁸Refrain from anger^l and turn from wrath;

do not fret^m—it leads only to evil.

⁹For those who are evil will be destroyed,ⁿ

but those who hope^o in the Lord will inherit the land.^p

¹⁰A little while, and the wicked will be no more;^q

though you look for them, they will not be found.

¹¹But the meek will inherit the land^r

and enjoy peace and prosperity.^s

¹²The wicked plot^t against the righteous

and gnash their teeth^u at them;

¹³but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he knows their day is coming.^v

¹⁴The wicked draw the sword^w

and bend the bow^x

to bring down the poor and needy,^y

to slay those whose ways are upright.

¹⁵But their swords will pierce their own hearts,^z

and their bows will be broken.^a

¹⁶Better the little that the righteous have

than the wealth^b of many wicked;

¹⁷for the power of the wicked will be broken,^c

but the Lord upholds^d the righteous.

¹⁸The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,^e

and their inheritance will endure forever.^f

¹⁹In times of disaster they will not wither;

in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

²⁰But the wicked will perish:^g

Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,

they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.^h

²¹The wicked borrow and do not repay,

but the righteous give generously;ⁱ

²²those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,

but those he curses^j will be destroyed.^k

²³The Lord makes firm the steps^l

of the one who delights^m in him;

²⁴though he may stumble, he will not fall,ⁿ

for the Lord upholds^o him with his hand.

²⁵I was young and now I am old,

yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken^p

or their children begging^q bread.

²⁶They are always generous and lend freely;^r

their children will be a blessing.^bs

²⁷Turn from evil and do good;^t

then you will dwell in the land forever.^u

²⁸For the Lord loves the just

and will not forsake his faithful ones.^v

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed^c;

the offspring of the wicked will perish.^w

²⁹The righteous will inherit the land^x

and dwell in it forever.^y

³⁰The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,^z

and their tongues speak what is just.

³¹The law of their God is in their hearts;^a

their feet do not slip.^b

³²The wicked lie in wait^c for the righteous,^d

intent on putting them to death;

³³but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked

or let them be condemned^e when brought to trial.^f

³⁴Hope in the Lord^g

and keep his way.^h

He will exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are destroyed,ⁱ you will see^j it.

³⁵I have seen a wicked and ruthless man

flourishing^k like a luxuriant native tree,

³⁶but he soon passed away and was no more;

though I looked for him, he could not be found.^l

³⁷Consider the blameless,^m observe the upright;ⁿ

a future awaits those who seek peace.^do

³⁸But all sinners^p will be destroyed;^q

there will be no future^e for the wicked.^r

³⁹The salvation^s of the righteous comes from the Lord;

he is their stronghold in time of trouble.^t

⁴⁰The Lord helps^u them and delivers^v them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves^w them,

because they take refuge^x in him.