Psalm 37

New International Version

³ Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land^(E) and enjoy safe pasture.^(F)
4 Take delight^(G) in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.^(H)

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him^(I) and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteous reward^(J) shine like the dawn,^(K)
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷ 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)

⁸ Refrain from anger^(Q) and turn from wrath;
    do not fret^(R)—it leads only to evil.
⁹ 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.