1Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;2for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.3Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.4Take delight 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 this:6he will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.7Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil.9For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.10A 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 and enjoy peace and prosperity.12The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;13but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.14The wicked draw the sword and bend 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 the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;17for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.18The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure for ever.19In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.20But the wicked will perish: though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.21The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;22those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.23The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;24though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.25I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.26They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.[1] (Ge 48:20)27Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land for ever.28For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed[2]; the offspring of the wicked will perish.29The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it for ever.30The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.31The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.32The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death;33but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial.34Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.35I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,36but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.37Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.[3]38But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future[4] for the wicked.39The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.40The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Psalm 37
English Standard Version
He Will Not Forsake His Saints
1[1] Of David. Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! (Ps 37:7; Ps 73:3; Pr 3:31; Pr 23:17; Pr 24:1; Pr 24:19)2For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. (Job 14:2; Job 27:13; Ps 90:5; Ps 129:6)3Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.[2] (Le 26:5; Ps 62:8; Ps 115:9; Pr 2:21; Pr 3:5; Isa 26:4)4Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Job 22:26; Isa 58:14; Mt 6:33; Php 3:1; Php 4:4)5Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. (Ps 22:8; Ps 37:3; Ps 55:22; Pr 16:3; 1Pe 5:7)6He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. (Job 11:17; Isa 58:8; Isa 58:10; Mic 7:9)7Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! (Ps 37:1; Ps 62:1; Isa 30:15; Jer 12:1; La 3:26)8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. (Ps 37:7; Eph 4:26)9For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. (Ps 25:13; Ps 37:2; Ps 37:22; Pr 2:21; Isa 57:13; Isa 60:21)10In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. (Job 7:10; Job 24:24)11But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. (Ps 119:165; Isa 32:17; Mt 5:5)12The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, (Ps 31:13; Ps 35:16)13but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. (Job 18:20; Ps 2:4)14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; (Ps 7:10; Ps 7:12)15their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. (1Sa 2:4)16Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. (Pr 15:16; Pr 16:8; 1Ti 6:6)17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. (Job 38:15; Ps 10:15; Ps 37:24; Eze 30:21)18The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; (Ps 1:6; Ps 37:9)19they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. (Job 5:20; Ps 33:19)20But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. (Ps 68:2; Ps 102:3; Ho 13:3; Mt 6:30; Jas 1:11)21The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; (Ps 37:26)22for those blessed by the Lord[3] shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. (Ps 37:2; Ps 37:9)23The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; (1Sa 2:9; Ps 25:12; Ps 40:2; Ps 119:5)24though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. (Ps 37:17; Pr 24:16; Mic 7:8; 2Co 4:9)25I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. (Job 15:23; Ps 109:10)26He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. (De 15:8; De 15:10; Ps 112:5; Ps 112:9; Mt 5:42; Lu 6:35)27Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. (Ps 34:14; Ps 102:28)28For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. (Ps 11:7; Ps 16:10; Ps 21:10; Ps 37:2; Ps 37:9; Pr 2:22; Isa 14:20)29The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. (Ps 37:27)30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.31The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. (De 6:6; Ps 40:8; Ps 73:2; Ps 119:11; Isa 51:7; Jer 31:33; Ro 7:22)32The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. (Ps 10:8)33The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. (Ps 109:31; 2Pe 2:9)34Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. (Ps 27:14; Ps 37:9; Ps 52:5; Ps 91:8)35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.[4] (Job 5:3; Ps 52:8)36But he passed away,[5] and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. (Job 20:5; Ps 37:10)37Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. (Ps 37:11; Ps 119:165; Isa 57:2)38But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. (Job 18:17; Ps 52:5; Ps 73:17; Ps 104:35; Pr 2:22)39The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. (Ps 3:8; Ps 9:9)40The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. (1Ch 5:20; Ps 11:1; Isa 31:5; Da 3:17; Da 3:28; Da 6:23; Ac 12:11)