Psalm 37

Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; *

do not be jealous of those who do wrong.

For they shall soon wither like the grass, *

and like the green grass fade away.

Put your trust in the LORD and do good; *

dwell in the land and feed on its riches.

Take delight in the LORD, *

and he shall give you your heart's desire.

Commit your way to the LORD and put your trust in him, *

and he will bring it to pass.

He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *

and your just dealing as the noonday.

Be still before the LORD *

and wait patiently for him.

Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *

the one who succeeds in evil schemes.

Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *

do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.

For evildoers shall be cut off, *

but those who wait upon the LORD shall possess the land.

In a little while the wicked shall be no more; *

you shall search out their place, but they will not be there.

But the lowly shall possess the land; *

they will delight in abundance of peace.

The wicked plot against the righteous *

and gnash at them with their teeth.

The Lord laughs at the wicked, *

because he sees that their day will come.

The wicked draw their sword and bend their bow

to strike down the poor and needy, *

to slaughter those who are upright in their ways.

Their sword shall go through their own heart, *

and their bow shall be broken.

The little that the righteous has *

is better than great riches of the wicked.

For the power of the wicked shall be broken, *

but the LORD upholds the righteous.

The LORD cares for the lives of the godly, *

and their inheritance shall last for ever.

They shall not be ashamed in bad times, *

and in days of famine they shall have enough.

As for the wicked, they shall perish, *

and the enemies of the LORD, like the glory of the meadows, shall vanish;

they shall vanish like smoke.

The wicked borrow and do not repay, *

but the righteous are generous in giving.

Those who are blessed by God shall possess the land, *

but those who are cursed by him shall be destroyed.

Our steps are directed by the LORD; *

he strengthens those in whose way he delights.

If they stumble, they shall not fall headlong, *

for the LORD holds them by the hand.

I have been young and now I am old, *

but never have I seen the righteous forsaken,

or their children begging bread.

The righteous are always generous in their lending, *

and their children shall be a blessing.

Turn from evil, and do good, *

and dwell in the land for ever.

For the LORD loves justice; *

he does not forsake his faithful ones.

They shall be kept safe for ever, *

but the offspring of the wicked shall be destroyed.

The righteous shall possess the land *

and dwell in it for ever.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, *

and their tongue speaks what is right.

The law of their God is in their heart, *

and their footsteps shall not falter.

The wicked spy on the righteous *

and seek occasion to kill them.

The LORD will not abandon them to their hand, *

nor let them be found guilty when brought to trial.

Wait upon the LORD and keep his way; *

he will raise you up to possess the land,

and when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

I have seen the wicked in their arrogance, *

flourishing like a tree in full leaf.

I went by, and behold, they were not there; *

I searched for them, but they could not be found.

Mark those who are honest;

observe the upright; *

for there is a future for the peaceable.

Transgressors shall be destroyed, one and all; *

the future of the wicked is cut off.

But the deliverance of the righteous comes from the LORD; *

he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

The LORD will help them and rescue them; *

he will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them,

because they seek refuge in him.