Add parallel Print Page Options

37 Do not fret because of wicked men, nor be envious of evildoers.

For they shall soon be cut down like grass and shall wither as the green herb.

Trust in the LORD and do good. Dwell in the land, and you shall assuredly be fed.

And delight yourself in the LORD; and He shall give you your heart’s desire.

Commit your way to the LORD, and trust in Him; and He shall make it so.

And He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon day.

Wait patiently upon the LORD, and hope in Him. Do not fret over him who prospers in his way, nor over the man who executes wicked schemes.

Cease from anger and abandon wrath. Do not fret. It leads only to evil.

For evildoers shall be cut off; and those who wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the land.

10 Therefore, yet a little while and the wicked shall not appear; and you shall look for his place and he shall not be found.

11 But meek men shall possess the Earth and shall have their delight in the multitude of peace.

12 The wicked practices against the just and gnashes his teeth against him.

13 The LORD shall laugh him to scorn; for He sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn their sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as are of upright conversation.

15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart; and their bows shall be broken.

16 A small thing to the just man is better than great riches to the wicked and mighty.

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken; but the LORD upholds the just men.

18 The LORD knows the days of upright men; and their inheritance shall be perpetual.

19 They shall not be confounded in the perilous time; and in the days of famine they shall have enough.

20 But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the LORD shall be consumed as the fat of lambs. With the smoke, they shall vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows and does not pay again. But the righteous is merciful and gives.

22 For such as are blessed shall inherit the land. And those who are cursed by Him shall be cut off.

23 The paths of man are directed by the LORD; for He loves his way.

24 Though he falls, he shall not be cast off; for the LORD upholds his hand.

25 I have been young and am old. Yet I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread.

26 He is ever merciful and lends, and His seed enjoys the blessing.

27 Flee from evil and do good, and dwell forever.

28 For the LORD loves judgment and does not forsake His saints. They shall be preserved forevermore. But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

29 The righteous men shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous will speak of wisdom; and his tongue will talk of judgment.

31 The Law of his God is in his heart; his steps shall not slide.

32 The wicked watched the righteous and sought to kill him.

33 The LORD will not leave him in His hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

34 Wait on the LORD and keep His way; and He shall exalt you, so that you shall inherit the land. When the wicked men shall perish, you shall see.

35 I have seen the wicked strong and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

36 Yet he passed away; and lo, he was gone. And I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the upright man and behold the just; for the end of that man is peace.

38 But their transgressors shall be destroyed together. The end of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous men shall be from the LORD. He shall be their strength in the time of trouble.

40 For the LORD shall help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the wicked, and shall save them, because they trust in Him. A Psalm of David, for remembrance.

Psalm 37[a]

Of David.

Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious(A) of those who do wrong;(B)
for like the grass they will soon wither,(C)
    like green plants they will soon die away.(D)

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land(E) and enjoy safe pasture.(F)
Take delight(G) in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.(H)

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him(I) and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward(J) shine like the dawn,(K)
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still(L) before the Lord
    and wait patiently(M) for him;
do not fret(N) when people succeed in their ways,(O)
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.(P)

Refrain from anger(Q) and turn from wrath;
    do not fret(R)—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,(S)
    but those who hope(T) in the Lord will inherit the land.(U)

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;(V)
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land(W)
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.(X)

12 The wicked plot(Y) against the righteous
    and gnash their teeth(Z) at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
    for he knows their day is coming.(AA)

14 The wicked draw the sword(AB)
    and bend the bow(AC)
to bring down the poor and needy,(AD)
    to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,(AE)
    and their bows will be broken.(AF)

16 Better the little that the righteous have
    than the wealth(AG) of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,(AH)
    but the Lord upholds(AI) the righteous.

18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,(AJ)
    and their inheritance will endure forever.(AK)
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
    in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:(AL)
    Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
    they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.(AM)

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
    but the righteous give generously;(AN)
22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
    but those he curses(AO) will be destroyed.(AP)

23 The Lord makes firm the steps(AQ)
    of the one who delights(AR) in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,(AS)
    for the Lord upholds(AT) him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken(AU)
    or their children begging(AV) bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;(AW)
    their children will be a blessing.[b](AX)

27 Turn from evil and do good;(AY)
    then you will dwell in the land forever.(AZ)
28 For the Lord loves the just
    and will not forsake his faithful ones.(BA)

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed[c];
    the offspring of the wicked will perish.(BB)
29 The righteous will inherit the land(BC)
    and dwell in it forever.(BD)

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,(BE)
    and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;(BF)
    their feet do not slip.(BG)

32 The wicked lie in wait(BH) for the righteous,(BI)
    intent on putting them to death;
33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
    or let them be condemned(BJ) when brought to trial.(BK)

34 Hope in the Lord(BL)
    and keep his way.(BM)
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
    when the wicked are destroyed,(BN) you will see(BO) it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
    flourishing(BP) like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
    though I looked for him, he could not be found.(BQ)

37 Consider the blameless,(BR) observe the upright;(BS)
    a future awaits those who seek peace.[d](BT)
38 But all sinners(BU) will be destroyed;(BV)
    there will be no future[e] for the wicked.(BW)

39 The salvation(BX) of the righteous comes from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in time of trouble.(BY)
40 The Lord helps(BZ) them and delivers(CA) them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves(CB) them,
    because they take refuge(CC) in him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 37:26 Or freely; / the names of their children will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or freely; / others will see that their children are blessed
  3. Psalm 37:28 See Septuagint; Hebrew They will be protected forever
  4. Psalm 37:37 Or upright; / those who seek peace will have posterity
  5. Psalm 37:38 Or posterity