Psalm 37
Do not vie with the wicked
: or envy those that do wrong;
For they will soon wither like the grass
: and fade away like the green leaf.
Trust in the Lord and do good
: and you shall dwell in the land and feed in safe pastures.
Let the Lord be your delight
: and he will grant you your heart’s desire.
Commit your way to the Lord
: trust him, and he will act.
He will make your righteousness shine as clear as the light
: and your innocence as the noonday.
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him
: do not be vexed when a man prospers,
when he puts his evil purposes to work.
Let go of anger and abandon wrath
: let not envy move you to do evil.
For the wicked shall be cut down
: but those who wait for the Lord shall possess the land.
In a little while the ungodly shall be no more
: you will look for him in his place, but he will not be found.
But the meek shall possess the land
: and enjoy the abundance of peace.
The ungodly man plots against the righteous
: and gnashes at him with his teeth.
But the Lord shall laugh him to scorn
: for he sees that the day for his overthrow is near.
The ungodly have drawn the sword and strung the bow
: to strike down the poor and needy,
to slaughter those that walk in innocence.
Their swords shall pierce their own hearts
: and their bows shall be broken.
Though the righteous man has but a little
: it is better than the great wealth of the ungodly.
For the strong arm of the ungodly shall be broken
: but the Lord upholds the righteous.
The Lord cares for the lives of the innocent
: and their heritage shall be theirs for ever.
They shall not be put to shame in the evil days
: but in time of famine they shall eat their fill.
As for the ungodly, they shall perish,
they are the enemies of the Lord
: like fuel in a furnace they shall vanish away in smoke.
The ungodly man borrows but does not repay
: but the righteous is gracious, and gives.
Those who are blessed by God shall possess the land
: but those whom he has cursed shall be cut down.
If a man’s steps are guided by the Lord
: and he delights in his way,
Though he stumble, he shall not fall headlong
: for the Lord holds him by the hand.
I have been young and now am old
: but I never saw the righteous man forsaken,
or his children begging their bread.
He is ever gracious, and lends
: and his children shall be blessed.
Turn from evil and do good
: and you shall dwell in the land for ever.
For the Lord loves justice
: he will not forsake his faithful ones.
But the unjust shall be destroyed for ever
: and the children of the ungodly shall be cut down.
The just shall possess the land
: and they shall dwell in it for ever.
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom
: and his tongue speaks what is right.
The law of his God is in his heart
: and his footsteps will not slip.
The ungodly man watches out for the righteous
: and seeks occasion to slay him.
But the Lord will not abandon him to his power.
nor let him be condemned when he is judged.
Wait for the Lord, and hold to his way
: and he will raise you up to possess the land,
to see the ungodly when they are destroyed.
I have seen the ungodly in terrifying power
: spreading himself like a luxuriant tree;
I passed by again, and he was gone
: I searched for him, but he could not be found.
Observe the blameless man and consider the upright
: for the man of peace shall have posterity.
But transgressors shall be destroyed altogether
: and the posterity of the wicked shall be cut down.
Deliverance for the righteous shall come from the Lord
: he is their strength in time of trouble.
The Lord will help them and deliver them
: he will save them from the ungodly and deliver them,
because they come to him for refuge.