1Don’t be upset because of sinful people. Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.2Like grass, they will soon dry up. Like green plants, they will soon die.3Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live in the land and enjoy its food.4Find your delight in the LORD. Then he will give you everything your heart really wants.5Commit your life to the LORD. Here is what he will do if you trust in him.6He will make the reward for your godly life shine like the dawn. He will make the proof of your honest life shine like the sun at noon.7Be still and wait patiently for the LORD to act. Don’t be upset when other people succeed. Don’t be upset when they carry out their evil plans.8Turn away from anger and don’t give in to wrath. Don’t be upset, because that only leads to evil.9Sinful people will be destroyed. But those who put their hope in the LORD will receive the land.10In a little while, there won’t be any more sinners. Even if you look for them, you won’t be able to find them.11But those who are free of pride will be given the land. They will enjoy peace and success.12Sinful people make plans to harm those who do what is right. They grind their teeth at them.13But the Lord laughs at those who do evil. He knows the day is coming when he will judge them.14Sinners pull out their swords. They bend their bows. They want to kill poor and needy people. They plan to murder those who lead honest lives.15But they will be killed by their own swords. Their own bows will be broken.16Those who do what is right may have very little. But it’s better than the wealth of many sinners.17The power of those who are evil will be broken. But the LORD takes good care of those who do what is right.18Those who are without blame spend their days in the LORD’s care. What he has given them will last for ever.19When trouble comes to them, they will have what they need. When there is little food in the land, they will still have plenty.20But sinful people will die. The LORD’s enemies may be like flowers in the field. But they will be swallowed up. They will disappear like smoke.21Sinful people borrow and don’t pay back. But those who are godly give freely to others.22The LORD will give the land to those he blesses. But he will destroy those he curses.23The LORD makes secure the footsteps of the person who delights in him,24Even if that person trips, he won’t fall. The LORD’s hand takes good care of him.25I once was young, and now I’m old. But I’ve never seen godly people deserted. I’ve never seen their children begging for bread.26The godly are always giving and lending freely. Their children will be a blessing.27Turn away from evil and do good. Then you will live in the land for ever.28The LORD loves those who are honest. He will not desert those who are faithful to him. Those who do wrong will be completely destroyed. The children of sinners will die.29Those who do what is right will be given the land. They will live in it for ever.30The mouths of those who do what is right speak words of wisdom. They say what is honest.31God’s law is in their hearts. Their feet do not slip.32Those who are evil hide and wait for godly people. They want to kill them.33But the LORD will not leave the godly in their power. He will not let them be found guilty when they are brought into court.34Put your hope in the LORD. Live as he wants you to. He will honour you by giving you the land. When sinners are destroyed, you will see it.35I saw a mean and sinful person. He was doing well, like a green tree in its own land.36But he soon passed away and was gone. Even though I looked for him, I couldn’t find him.37Consider honest people who are without blame. People who seek peace will have a tomorrow.38But all sinners will be destroyed. Those who are evil won’t have a tomorrow.39The LORD saves those who do what is right. He is their place of safety when trouble comes.40The LORD helps them and saves them. He saves them from sinful people because they go to him for safety.
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)