Psalm 37:1–40

¹Of David.^a

Do not fret over those who do evil;

do not envy those who do wrong.

²For they wither quickly like grass

and wilt like tender plants.

³Trust in the LORD and do good;

dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

⁴Delight yourself in the LORD,

and He will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in Him, and He will do it.

⁶He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn,

your justice like the noonday sun.

⁷Be still before the LORD

and wait patiently for Him;

do not fret when men prosper in their ways,

when they carry out wicked schemes.

⁸Refrain from anger and abandon wrath;

do not fret— it can only bring harm.

⁹For the evildoers will be cut off,

but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

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

though you look for them, they will not be found.

¹¹But the meek will inherit the land^b

and delight in abundant prosperity.

¹²The wicked scheme against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them,

¹³but the Lord laughs,

seeing that their day is coming.

¹⁴The wicked have drawn the sword

and bent the bow

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose ways are upright.

¹⁵But their swords will pierce their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶Better is the little of the righteous

than the abundance of many who are wicked.

¹⁷For the arms of the wicked will be broken,

but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸The LORD knows the days of the blameless,

and their inheritance will last forever.

¹⁹In the time of evil they will not be ashamed,

and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

²⁰But the wicked and enemies of the LORD

will perish like the glory of the fields.

They will vanish;

like smoke they will fade away.

²¹The wicked borrow and do not repay,

but the righteous are gracious and giving.

²²Surely those He blesses will inherit the land,

but the cursed will be destroyed.

²³The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD

who takes delight in his journey.

²⁴Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,

for the LORD is holding his hand.^c

²⁵I once was young and now am old,

yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned

or their children begging for bread.

²⁶They are ever generous and quick to lend,

and their children are a blessing.

²⁷Turn away from evil and do good,

so that you will abide forever.

²⁸For the LORD loves justice

and will not forsake His saints.

They are preserved forever,

but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.

²⁹The righteous will inherit the land

and dwell in it forever.

³⁰The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,

and his tongue speaks justice.

³¹The law of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not falter.

³²Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous,

and seek to slay them,

³³the LORD will not leave them in their power

or let them be condemned under judgment.

³⁴Wait for the LORD and keep His way,

and He will raise you up to inherit the land.

When the wicked are cut off,

you will see it.

³⁵I have seen a wicked, ruthless man

flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,

³⁶yet he passed away and was no more;

though I searched, he could not be found.

³⁷Consider the blameless and observe the upright,

for posterity awaits the man of peace.^d

³⁸But the transgressors will all be destroyed;

the future of the wicked will be cut off.

³⁹The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

He is their stronghold in time of trouble.

⁴⁰The LORD helps and delivers them;

He rescues and saves them from the wicked,

because they take refuge in Him.