- Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
- for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
- Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
- Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
- Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
- He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
- Be 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.
- Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
- For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
- A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
- But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
- The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
- but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
- The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
- But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
- Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
- for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
- The blameless spend their days under the LORD's care, and their inheritance will endure forever.
- In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
- But 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.
- The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
- those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.
- The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
- though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
- I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
- They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.[2]
- Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
- For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed[3]; the offspring of the wicked will perish.
- The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
- The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.
- The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.
- The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death;
- but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
- Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
- I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
- but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
- Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.[4]
- But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future[5] for the wicked.
- The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
- The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Psalm 37[1] Of David.
- This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- 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'
- See Septuagint; Hebrew 'They will be protected forever'
- Or 'upright; / those who seek peace will have posterity'
- Or 'posterity'