Psalter

Psalm 37
Part I
Noli aemulari

1 Do not fret yourself because of evildoers;*
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.

2 For they shall soon wither like the grass,*
and like the green grass fade away.

3 Put your trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.

4 Take delight in the Lord, *
and he shall give you your heart's desire.

5 Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, *
and he will bring it to pass.

6 He will make your righteousness as clear as the light*
and your just dealing as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord *
and wait patiently for him.

8 Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers,*
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.

9 Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.

10 For evildoers shall be cut off,*
but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.

11 In a little while the wicked shall be no more;*
you shall search out their place, but they will not be there.

12 But the lowly shall possess the land;*
they will delight in abundance of peace.

13 The wicked plot against the righteous *
and gnash at them with their teeth.

14 The Lord laughs at the wicked,*
because he sees that their day will come.

15 the wicked draw their sword and bend their bow
to strike down the poor and needy,*
to slaughter those who are upright in their ways.

16 Their sword shall go through their own heart,*
and their bow shall be broken.

17 The little that the righteous has *
is better than great riches of the wicked.

18 For the power of the wicked shall be broken,*
but the Lord upholds the righteous.

19 The LORD cares for the lives of the godly, *
and their inheritance shall last for ever.

20 They shall not be ashamed in bad times, *
and in days of famine they shall have enough.

21 As for the wicked, they shall perish, *
and the enemies of the LORD, like the glory of the meadows, shall vanish;
they shall vanish like smoke.

22 The wicked borrow and do not repay, *
but the righteous are generous in giving.

23 Those who are blessed by God shall possess the land, *
but those who are cursed by him shall be destroyed.

24 Our steps are directed by the LORD; *
he strengthens those in whose way he delights.

25 If they stumble, they shall not fall headlong, *
for the LORD holds them by the hand.

26 I have been young and now I am old, *
but never have I seen the righteous forsaken,
or their children begging bread.

27 The righteous are always generous in their lending, *
and their children shall be a blessing.

28 Turn from evil, and do good, *
and dwell in the land for ever.

29 For the LORD loves justice; *
he does not forsake his faithful ones.

30 They shall be kept safe for ever, *
but the offspring of the wicked shall be destroyed.

31 The righteous shall possess the land *
and dwell in it for ever.

32 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, *
and their tongue speaks what is right.

33 The law of their God is in their heart, *
and their footsteps shall not falter.

34 The wicked spy on the righteous *
and seek occasion to kill them.

35 The LORD will not abandon them to their hand, *
nor let them be found guilty when brought to trial.

36 Wait upon the LORD and keep his way; *
he will raise you up to possess the land,
and when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

37 I have seen the wicked in their arrogance, *
flourishing like a tree in full leaf.

38 I went by, and behold, they were not there; *
I searched for them, but they could not be found.

39 Mark those who are honest;
observe the upright; *
for there is a future for the peaceable.

40 Transgressors shall be destroyed, one and all; *
the future of the wicked is cut off.

41 But the deliverance of the righteous comes from the LORD; *
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

42 The LORD will help them and rescue them; *
he will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them,
because they seek refuge in him.

1	Do not fret yourself because of evildoers;* do not be jealous of those who do wrong.
2	For they shall soon wither like the grass,* and like the green grass fade away.
3	Put your trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and feed on its riches.
4	Take delight in the Lord, * and he shall give you your heart's desire.
5	Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, * and he will bring it to pass.
6	He will make your righteousness as clear as the light* and your just dealing as the noonday.
7	Be still before the Lord * and wait patiently for him.
8	Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers,* the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
9	Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; * do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.
10	For evildoers shall be cut off,* but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.
11	In a little while the wicked shall be no more;* you shall search out their place, but they will not be there.
12	But the lowly shall possess the land;* they will delight in abundance of peace.
13	The wicked plot against the righteous * and gnash at them with their teeth.
14	The Lord laughs at the wicked,* because he sees that their day will come.
15	the wicked draw their sword and bend their bow to strike down the poor and needy,* to slaughter those who are upright in their ways.
16	Their sword shall go through their own heart,* and their bow shall be broken.
17	The little that the righteous has * is better than great riches of the wicked.
18	For the power of the wicked shall be broken,* but the Lord upholds the righteous.
19	The LORD cares for the lives of the godly, * and their inheritance shall last for ever.
20	They shall not be ashamed in bad times, * and in days of famine they shall have enough.
21	As for the wicked, they shall perish, * and the enemies of the LORD, like the glory of the meadows, shall vanish; they shall vanish like smoke.
22	The wicked borrow and do not repay, * but the righteous are generous in giving.
23	Those who are blessed by God shall possess the land, * but those who are cursed by him shall be destroyed.
24	Our steps are directed by the LORD; * he strengthens those in whose way he delights.
25	If they stumble, they shall not fall headlong, * for the LORD holds them by the hand.
26	I have been young and now I am old, * but never have I seen the righteous forsaken, or their children begging bread.
27	The righteous are always generous in their lending, * and their children shall be a blessing.
28	Turn from evil, and do good, * and dwell in the land for ever.
29	For the LORD loves justice; * he does not forsake his faithful ones.
30	They shall be kept safe for ever, * but the offspring of the wicked shall be destroyed.
31	The righteous shall possess the land * and dwell in it for ever.
32	The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, * and their tongue speaks what is right.
33	The law of their God is in their heart, * and their footsteps shall not falter.
34	The wicked spy on the righteous * and seek occasion to kill them.
35	The LORD will not abandon them to their hand, * nor let them be found guilty when brought to trial.
36	Wait upon the LORD and keep his way; * he will raise you up to possess the land, and when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
37	I have seen the wicked in their arrogance, * flourishing like a tree in full leaf.
38	I went by, and behold, they were not there; * I searched for them, but they could not be found.
39	Mark those who are honest; observe the upright; * for there is a future for the peaceable.
40	Transgressors shall be destroyed, one and all; * the future of the wicked is cut off.
41	But the deliverance of the righteous comes from the LORD; * he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
42	The LORD will help them and rescue them; * he will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them, because they seek refuge in him.