Psalm 37

Psalm 37

Exhortation to Patience and Trust

Of David.

1 Do not fret because of the wicked;

do not be envious of wrongdoers,*

2 for they will soon fade like the grass

and wither like the green herb.*

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;

live in the land and enjoy security.*

4 Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.*

5 Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.*

6 He will make your vindication shine like the light

and the justice of your cause like the noonday.*

7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;

do not fret over those who prosper in their way,

over those who carry out evil devices.*

8 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.

Do not fret—it leads only to evil.*

9 For the wicked shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.*

10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.*

11 But the meek shall inherit the land

and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.*

12 The wicked plot against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them,*

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that their day is coming.*

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

to bring down the poor and needy,

to kill those who walk uprightly;*

15 their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.*

16 Better is a little that the righteous person has

than the abundance of many wicked.*

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the Lord upholds the righteous.*

18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will abide forever;*

19 they are not put to shame in evil times;

in the days of famine they have abundance.*

20 But the wicked perish,

and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.*

21 The wicked borrow and do not pay back,

but the righteous are generous and keep giving;*

22 surely those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.*

23 Our stepsp are made firm by the Lord

when he delights in ourq way;*

24 though we stumble, wer shall not fall headlong,

for the Lord holds uss by the hand.*

25 I have been young and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or their children begging bread.*

26 They are ever giving liberally and lending,

and their children become a blessing.*

27 Depart from evil, and do good;

so you shall abide forever.*

28 For the Lord loves justice;

he will not forsake his faithful ones.

The righteous shall be kept safe forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.*

29 The righteous shall inherit the land

and live in it forever.*

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,

and their tongues speak justice.*

31 The law of their God is in their hearts;

their steps do not slip.*

32 The wicked watch for the righteous

and seek to kill them.*

33 The Lord will not abandon them to their power

or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.*

34 Wait for the Lord and keep to his way,

and he will exalt you to inherit the land;

you will look on the destruction of the wicked.*

35 I have seen the wicked oppressing

and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.t,*

36 Again Iu passed by, and they were no more;

though I sought them, they could not be found.*

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,

for there is posterity for the peaceable.*

38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;

the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.*

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;

he is their refuge in the time of trouble.*

40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;

he rescues them from the wicked and saves them

because they take refuge in him.*