Security of those who trust in Jehovah, and insecurity of the wicked.
A Psalm of David.
37 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers,
Neither be thou envious against them that work unrighteousness.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in Jehovah, and do good;
[a]Dwell in the land, and [b]feed on his faithfulness.
4 [c]Delight thyself also in Jehovah;
And he will give thee the [d]desires of thy heart.
5 [e]Commit thy way unto Jehovah;
Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.
6 And he will make thy righteousness to go forth as the light,
And thy justice as the noon-day.
7 [f]Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him:
Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way,
Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:
Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil-doing.
9 For evil-doers shall be cut off;
But those that wait for Jehovah, they shall inherit [g]the land.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be:
Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and [h]he shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just,
And gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord will laugh at him;
For he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay such as are upright in the way.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.
16 Better is a little that the righteous hath
Than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken;
But Jehovah upholdeth the righteous.
18 Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect;
And their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be put to shame in the time of evil;
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish,
And the enemies of Jehovah shall be as [i]the fat of lambs:
They shall consume; [j]in smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again;
But the righteous dealeth graciously, and giveth.
22 For such as are blessed of him shall inherit the land;
And they that are cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 A man’s goings are established of Jehovah;
And he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For Jehovah [k]upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his seed begging bread.
26 All the day long he dealeth graciously, and lendeth;
And his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell for evermore.
28 For Jehovah loveth justice,
And forsaketh not his saints;
They are preserved for ever:
But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous talketh of wisdom,
And his tongue speaketh justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous,
And seeketh to slay him.
33 Jehovah will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way,
And he will exalt thee to inherit the land:
When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.
36 [l]But one passed by, and, lo, he was not:
Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright;
For there is a happy end to the man of peace.
38 As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together:
The end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of Jehovah:
He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 And Jehovah helpeth them, and rescueth them:
He rescueth them from the wicked, and saveth them,
Because they have taken refuge in him.
Footnotes
- Psalm 37:3 Or, So shalt thou dwell in the land and feed securely
- Psalm 37:3 Or, verily thou shalt be fed
- Psalm 37:4 Or, So shalt thou have thy delight in etc.
- Psalm 37:4 Hebrew petitions.
- Psalm 37:5 Hebrew Roll thy way upon Jehovah.
- Psalm 37:7 Or, Be still before (Hebrew silent to) Jehovah
- Psalm 37:9 Or, the earth (and so in verses 11, 22, 29, 34)
- Psalm 37:10 Or, it
- Psalm 37:20 Or, the excellency of the pastures
- Psalm 37:20 Or, like smoke
- Psalm 37:24 Or, upholdeth his hand
- Psalm 37:36 Or, Yet he passed away