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37 By David. Do not fret because of evil doers, Be not envious against doers of iniquity,

For as grass speedily they are cut off, And as the greenness of the tender grass do fade.

Trust in Jehovah, and do good, Dwell [in] the land, and enjoy faithfulness,

And delight thyself on Jehovah, And He giveth to thee the petitions of thy heart.

Roll on Jehovah thy way, And trust upon Him, and He worketh,

And hath brought out as light thy righteousness, And thy judgment as noon-day.

Be silent for Jehovah, and stay thyself for Him, Do not fret because of him Who is making prosperous his way, Because of a man doing wicked devices.

Desist from anger, and forsake fury, Fret not thyself only to do evil.

For evil doers are cut off, As to those waiting on Jehovah, they possess the land.

10 And yet a little, and the wicked is not, And thou hast considered his place, and it is not.

11 And the humble do possess the land, And they have delighted themselves In the abundance of peace.

12 The wicked is devising against the righteous, And gnashing against him his teeth.

13 The Lord doth laugh at him, For He hath seen that his day cometh.

14 A sword have the wicked opened, And they have trodden their bow, To cause to fall the poor and needy, To slaughter the upright of the way.

15 Their sword doth enter into their own heart, And their bows are shivered.

16 Better [is] the little of the righteous, Than the store of many wicked.

17 For the arms of the wicked are shivered, And Jehovah is sustaining the righteous.

18 Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect, And their inheritance is -- to the age.

19 They are not ashamed in a time of evil, And in days of famine they are satisfied.

20 But the wicked perish, and the enemies of Jehovah, As the preciousness of lambs, Have been consumed, In smoke they have been consumed.

21 The wicked is borrowing and repayeth not, And the righteous is gracious and giving.

22 For His blessed ones do possess the land, And His reviled ones are cut off.

23 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, They have been prepared, And his way he desireth.

24 When he falleth, he is not cast down, For Jehovah is sustaining his hand.

25 Young I have been, I have also become old, And I have not seen the righteous forsaken, And his seed seeking bread.

26 All the day he is gracious and lending, And his seed [is] for a blessing.

27 Turn aside from evil, and do good, and dwell to the age.

28 For Jehovah is loving judgment, And He doth not forsake His saintly ones, To the age they have been kept, And the seed of the wicked is cut off.

29 The righteous possess the land, And they dwell for ever on it.

30 The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom, And his tongue speaketh judgment.

31 The law of his God [is] his heart, His steps do not slide.

32 The wicked is watching for the righteous, And is seeking to put him to death.

33 Jehovah doth not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him in his being judged.

34 Look unto Jehovah, and keep His way, And He doth exalt thee to possess the land, In the wicked being cut off -- thou seest!

35 I have seen the wicked terrible, And spreading as a green native plant,

36 And he passeth away, and lo, he is not, And I seek him, and he is not found!

37 Observe the perfect, and see the upright, For the latter end of each [is] peace.

38 And transgressors were destroyed together, The latter end of the wicked was cut off.

39 And the salvation of the righteous [is] from Jehovah, Their strong place in a time of adversity.

40 And Jehovah doth help them and deliver them, He delivereth them from the wicked, And saveth them, Because they trusted in Him!

Psalm 37[a]

Of David.

Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious(A) of those who do wrong;(B)
for like the grass they will soon wither,(C)
    like green plants they will soon die away.(D)

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land(E) and enjoy safe pasture.(F)
Take delight(G) in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.(H)

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him(I) and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward(J) shine like the dawn,(K)
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still(L) before the Lord
    and wait patiently(M) for him;
do not fret(N) when people succeed in their ways,(O)
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.(P)

Refrain from anger(Q) and turn from wrath;
    do not fret(R)—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,(S)
    but those who hope(T) in the Lord will inherit the land.(U)

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;(V)
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land(W)
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.(X)

12 The wicked plot(Y) against the righteous
    and gnash their teeth(Z) at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
    for he knows their day is coming.(AA)

14 The wicked draw the sword(AB)
    and bend the bow(AC)
to bring down the poor and needy,(AD)
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,(AE)
    and their bows will be broken.(AF)

16 Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth(AG) of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,(AH)
    but the Lord upholds(AI) the righteous.

18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,(AJ)
    and their inheritance will endure forever.(AK)
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
    in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:(AL)
    Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
    they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.(AM)

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
    but the righteous give generously;(AN)
22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
    but those he curses(AO) will be destroyed.(AP)

23 The Lord makes firm the steps(AQ)
    of the one who delights(AR) in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,(AS)
    for the Lord upholds(AT) him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken(AU)
    or their children begging(AV) bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;(AW)
    their children will be a blessing.[b](AX)

27 Turn from evil and do good;(AY)
    then you will dwell in the land forever.(AZ)
28 For the Lord loves the just
    and will not forsake his faithful ones.(BA)

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed[c];
    the offspring of the wicked will perish.(BB)
29 The righteous will inherit the land(BC)
    and dwell in it forever.(BD)

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,(BE)
    and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;(BF)
    their feet do not slip.(BG)

32 The wicked lie in wait(BH) for the righteous,(BI)
    intent on putting them to death;
33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
    or let them be condemned(BJ) when brought to trial.(BK)

34 Hope in the Lord(BL)
    and keep his way.(BM)
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
    when the wicked are destroyed,(BN) you will see(BO) it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
    flourishing(BP) like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
    though I looked for him, he could not be found.(BQ)

37 Consider the blameless,(BR) observe the upright;(BS)
    a future awaits those who seek peace.[d](BT)
38 But all sinners(BU) will be destroyed;(BV)
    there will be no future[e] for the wicked.(BW)

39 The salvation(BX) of the righteous comes from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.(BY)
40 The Lord helps(BZ) them and delivers(CA) them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves(CB) them,
    because they take refuge(CC) in him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 37:26 Or freely; / the names of their children will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or freely; / others will see that their children are blessed
  3. Psalm 37:28 See Septuagint; Hebrew They will be protected forever
  4. Psalm 37:37 Or upright; / those who seek peace will have posterity
  5. Psalm 37:38 Or posterity