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Psalm 37[a]

A song of David.

Don’t be worried with evil workers
    or envy the gains of people with all-wrong-upside-down ways.
Soon enough they will wither like grass,
    like green herbs fading in summer’s heat.

Believe in the Eternal, and do what is good—
    live in the land He provides; roam, and rest in God’s faithfulness.
Take great joy in the Eternal!
    His gifts are coming, and they are all your heart desires!

Commit your path to the Eternal; let Him direct you.
    Put your confidence in Him, and He will follow through with you.
He will spread out righteousness for you
    as a sunrise spreads radiance over the land;
    He will deliver justice for you into the light of the high sun.

Be still. Be patient. Expect the Eternal to arrive and set things right.
    Don’t get upset when you see the worldly ones rising up the ladder.
    Don’t be bothered by those who are anchored in wicked ways.

So turn from anger. Don’t rage,
    and don’t worry—these ways frame the doorway to evil.
Besides, those who act from evil motives will be cut off from the land;
    but those who wait, hoping in the Eternal, will enjoy its riches.

10 You’ll see . . . the wicked won’t know what hit them;
    you’ll blink, and they’ll be gone;
    you’ll go out looking for them, but you won’t find them.
11 But the humble-hearted will inherit the land;
    they will take pleasure in its peace and enjoy its abundance.

12 How that wicked man devises evil against God’s righteous ones!
    He grits his teeth, consumed by hate for the upright.
13 But oh, how the Lord laughs at him!
    He knows the wicked man will get his; the day is coming.

14 The wicked unsheathe their swords, pull taut their bows;
    the poor and needy are their victims,
    and evil is on the prowl to kill those with integrity, God’s beloved.
15 But their swords will bend back to pierce their own hearts—
    yes, their bows will snap in two.

16 The righteous are better off with the little God blessed them with
    than living under the curse of the wealth of the wicked.
17 Their time is short, their arms will be broken,
    but the Eternal will hold His righteous children high.

18 All their days are measured and known by the Eternal;
    their inheritance is kept safe forever.
19 When calamity comes, they will escape with their dignity.
    When famine invades the nations, they will be fed to their fill.

20 But immoral ones will find their lives cut short;
    they’ll vanish as quickly as wildflowers in the fields.
Yes, enemies of the Eternal will vanish
    like smoke into the cool night air.

21 Evil people borrow and never repay their debts,
    while the good give generously from their hearts.
22 For God’s blessed children will inherit the land,
    but those cursed by Him stand to gain nothing.

23 If you are right with God, He strengthens you for the journey;
    the Eternal will be pleased with your life.
24 And even though you trip up, you will not fall on your face
    because He holds you by the hand.

25 Through my whole life (young and old),
    I have never witnessed God forsaking those who do right,
    nor have I seen their children begging for crumbs,
26 Because they are always giving and sharing;
    truly, their children are a joyful blessing.

27 Walk away from evil. Do good
    so you, too, will enjoy never-ending life
28 Because the Eternal cherishes justice
    and will not abandon those loyal to Him.

He will guard and care for them forever,
    but any child born of evil will be rooted out, cut down, and destroyed.
29 Those leading God-pleasing lives will inherit His land
    and settle there forever.

30 Wisdom fills the mouth of the right-living;
    justice and truth roll from their tongues.
31 The True God’s law is imprinted upon their hearts,
    and they do not stumble.

32 The wicked stalk God’s good ones,
    looking to kill them,
33 But the Eternal will never leave them to the dogs of evil,
    nor will they be found guilty when the verdict is read.

34 Wait for the Eternal. Keep to His path. Mind His will.
    He will come for you, exalt you; you will inherit the land.
    Before your very eyes you will see the end of the wicked.

35 I passed by a wicked man with a cold-blooded nature;
    I looked, and he seemed as large as a cedar of Lebanon.
36 But then again, I passed that same way and there was nothing left of him.
    I went out looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

37 Keep your eye on the innocent. Model your life after the blameless.
    Everyone who loves peace has a future.
38 But sinners will be doomed.
    The forecast for the wicked: utter destruction.
    There will be none left, not one child of darkness.

39 The Eternal saves His faithful;
    He lends His strength in hard times;
40 The Eternal comes and frees them—
    frees them from evildoers and saves them for eternity
    simply because they seek shelter in Him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 37 A Hebrew acrostic poem

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