‏ Psalms 37

Psalm 37

Of David.

1 Be not kindled to wrath at the wicked,
nor envious of those who work wrong;
2for, like grass, they will speedily wither,
and fade like the green of young grass.

3Trust in the Lord, and do good;
remain in the land, and deal faithfully:
4then the Lord will be your delight,
he will grant you your heart’s petitions.

5Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act,
6making clear as the light your right,
and your just cause clear as the noon-day.

7In silence and patience wait on the Lord.
Be not kindled to anger at those who prosper.
At those who execute evil devices.

8Desist from anger, abandon wrath:
be not kindled to anger it leads but to evil:
9for evildoers will be cut off,
but the land will be theirs, who wait on the Lord.

10Yet but a little, and the wicked vanish:
look at their place: they are there no more.
11But the humble will have the land,
and the rapture of peace in abundance.

12The wicked plots against the righteous,
snarls like a wild animal;
13the Lord laughs,
for he sees that his day is coming.

14The wicked have drawn the sword, and bent the bow,
to fell the poor, to slay those who walk uprightly;
15but their sword will pierce their own heart,
and their bows will be broken in pieces.

16Better is the righteous person’s little
than the wealth of many wicked.
17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18The Lord watches over the days of the blameless,
their heritage will continue forever.
19They will not be shamed in the evil time,
in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

20Because the wicked will perish:
but the foes of the Lord, like a brand in the oven,
will vanish, like smoke they will vanish.

21The wicked must borrow and cannot pay back,
but the righteous is lavish and gives.
22For those blest by the Lord inherit the land,
while those whom he curses will be cut off.

23The Lord supports the steps
of those with whom he is pleased.
24Though they fall, they will not be cast headlong,
for the Lord holds their hands.

25Never, from youth to age,
have I seen the righteous forsaken,
or their children begging bread.
26They are ever lavishly lending,
and their children are fountains of blessing.

27Turn away from evil and do good
and you will live in the land forever.
28For the Lord loves justice,
he does not forsake his friends.

The unrighteous will be destroyed forever,
and the seed of the wicked will be cut off.
29But the land will belong to the righteous,
they will live upon it forever,

30The mouth of the righteous murmurs wisdom,
and words of justice are on their tongues.
31The law of their God is in their heart,
their steps are never unsteady.

32The wicked watches the righteous,
and seeks to put them to death.
33But the Lord leaves them not in their hand:
at their trial they will not be held guilty.

34Wait on the Lord, and observe his way:
he will lift you to honour the land will be yours,
you will feast your eyes on the doom of the wicked.

35I have seen the wicked exultant,
lifting themselves like a cedar of Lebanon.
36But the moment I passed, they vanished!
I sought for them, but they could not be found.

37Preserve your honour and practise uprightness,
for such a person fares well in the end.
38But transgressors will perish together.
Cut off are the wicked forever.

39The righteous are saved by the Lord,
who in time of distress is their refuge:
40the Lord helps and rescue them,
from the wicked he rescues and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.