PSALM 37

    ¹For David.

    Do not be incensed by evildoers.^ℵ

          Do not envy those who do wrong.

    ²For like grass they will quickly wither

          and like green grass they will fade.

    ³Trust in the LORD and do good.^ב

          Dwell in the land and keep faith.

    ⁴Take pleasure in the LORD,

          that He grant you your heart’s desire.

    ⁵Direct your way to the LORD.^ג

          Trust Him and He will act,

    ⁶and He will bring forth your cause like the light,

          and your justice like high noon.

    ⁷Be still before the LORD and await Him.^ד

          Do not be incensed by him who prospers,

                by the man who devises schemes.

    ⁸Let go of wrath and forsake rage.^ה

          Do not be incensed to do evil.

    ⁹For evildoers will be cut off,

          but those who hope in the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

    ¹⁰And very soon, the wicked will be no more.^ו

          You will look at his place—he’ll be gone.

    ¹¹And the poor shall inherit the earth

          and take pleasure from great well-being.

    ¹²The wicked lays plots for the just^ז

          and gnashes his teeth against him.

    ¹³The Master will laugh at him,

          for He sees that his day will come.

    ¹⁴A sword have the wicked unsheathed^ח

          and drawn taut their bow,

    to take down the poor and the needy,

          to slaughter those on the straight way.

    ¹⁵Their sword shall come home in their heart

          and their bows shall be broken.

    ¹⁶Better a little for the just^ט

          than wicked men’s great profusion.

    ¹⁷For the wicked’s arms shall be broken,

          but the LORD sustains the just.

    ¹⁸The LORD embraces the fate of the blameless,^י

          and their estate shall be forever.

    ¹⁹They shall not be shamed in an evil time

          and in days of famine they shall eat their fill.

    ²⁰For the wicked shall perish, and the foes of the LORD,^כ

          like the meadows’ green—gone, in smoke, gone.

    ²¹The wicked man borrows and will not pay,^ל

          but the just gives free of charge.

    ²²For those He blesses inherit the earth

          and those He curses are cut off.

    ²³By the LORD a man’s strides are made firm,^מ

          and his way He desires.

    ²⁴Though he fall, he will not be flung down,

          for the LORD sustains his hand.

    ²⁵A lad I was, and now I am old,^נ

          and I never have seen a just man forsaken

                and his seed seeking bread,

    ²⁶all day long lending free of charge

          and his seed for a blessing.

    ²⁷Turn from evil and do good^ס

          and abide forever.

    ²⁸For the LORD loves justice

          and will not forsake His faithful.

    They are guarded forever,

          but the seed of the wicked is cut off.

    ²⁹The just will inherit the earth

          and abide forever upon it.

    ³⁰The just man’s mouth utters wisdom^פ

          and his tongue speaks justice.

    ³¹His God’s teaching in his heart—

          his steps will not stumble.

    ³²The wicked spies out the just man^צ

          and seeks to put him to death.

    ³³The LORD will not forsake him in his hands

          and will not condemn him when he is judged.

    ³⁴Hope for the LORD and keep His way^ק

          and He will exalt you to inherit the earth;

                you will see the wicked cut off.

    ³⁵I have seen an arrogant wicked man^ר

          taking root like a flourishing plant.

    ³⁶He passes on, and, look, he is gone,

          I seek him, and he is not found.

    ³⁷Watch the blameless, look to the upright,^ש

          for the man of peace has a future.

    ³⁸And transgressors one and all are destroyed,

          the future of the wicked cut off.

    ³⁹The rescue of the just is from the LORD,^ת

          their stronghold in time of distress.

    ⁴⁰And the LORD will help them and free them,

          He will free them from the wicked and rescue them,

                for they have sheltered in Him.