Psalms 37

1 A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

A psalm of David. Do not be irritated because of evildoers; do not be envious of those who act unrighteously.

2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

For they will soon dry up as the grass and wither as the green plants.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Trust in Yahweh and do what is good; settle in the land and graze in faithfulness.

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.

Then delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit thy way to the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Give your ways to Yahweh; trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

He will display your justice like the daylight and your innocence like the day at noon.

7 Rest in the LORD, 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.

Be still before Yahweh and wait patiently for him. Do not be angry if someone succeeds in what he does, or when he makes evil plots.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any way to do evil.

Do not be angry and frustrated. Do not worry. This only makes trouble.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh will inherit the land.

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

In a little while the evil man will disappear; you will look at his place, but he will be gone.

11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

But the meek will inherit the land and will delight in great prosperity.

12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

The wicked man plots against the righteous and he grinds his teeth in rage against him.

13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

The Lord laughs at him, for he sees 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, and to slay such as are of upright conduct.

The wicked have drawn out their swords and have bent their bows to cast down the oppressed and needy, to kill those who are upright.

15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked people.

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

For the arms of the wicked people will be broken, but Yahweh supports the righteous people.

18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

Yahweh watches over the blameless day by day, and their heritage will be forever.

19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

They will not be ashamed when times are bad. When famine comes, they will have enough to eat.

20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

But evil men will perish. Yahweh's enemies will be like the glory of the pastures; they will be consumed and disappear in the smoke.

21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth.

The wicked person borrows but does not repay, but the righteous person is generous and gives.

22 For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the earth; and they that are cursed by him shall be cut off.

Those who are blessed by God will inherit the land; those who are cursed by him will be cut off.

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

It is by Yahweh that a man's steps are established, the man whose way is commendable in God's sight.

24 Though he should fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Though he stumbles, he will not fall down, for Yahweh is holding him with his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

I was young and now am old; I have never seen the righteous person abandoned or his children begging for bread.

26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

All the day long he is gracious and lends, and his children become a blessing.

27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

Turn away from evil and do what is right; then you will be safe forever.

28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

For Yahweh loves justice and does not abandon his faithful followers. They are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it for ever.

The righteous will inherit the land and live there forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

The mouth of the righteous person speaks wisdom and increases justice.

31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

The law of his God is in his heart; his feet will not slip.

32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

The wicked person watches the righteous person and seeks to kill him.

33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Yahweh will not abandon him into the evil person's hand or condemn him when he is judged.

34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

Wait for Yahweh and keep his way, and he will raise you up to possess the land. You will see when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

I have seen the wicked and terrifying person spread out like a green tree in its native soil.

36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

But when I passed by again, he was not there. I looked for him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

Observe the man of integrity, and mark the upright; there is a good future for a man of peace.

38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

Sinners will be totally destroyed; the future for the wicked man is cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

Salvation of the righteous comes from Yahweh; he protects them in the times of trouble.

40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Yahweh helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from evil men and saves them because they have taken refuge in him.