Psalm 37

A Psalm of David.

1        For evildoers fret thou not

                   thyself unquietly;

          Nor do thou envy bear to those

                   that work iniquity.

2        For, even like unto the grass,

                   soon be cut down shall they;

          And, like the green and tender herb,

                   they wither shall away.

3        Set thou thy trust upon the Lord,

                   and be thou doing good;

          And so thou in the land shalt dwell,

                   and verily have food.

4        Delight thyself in God; he'll give

                   thine heart's desire to thee.

5        Thy way to God commit, him trust,

                   it bring to pass shall he.

6        And, like unto the light, he shall

                   thy righteousness display;

          And he thy judgment shall bring forth

                   like noontide of the day.

7        Rest in the Lord, and patiently

                   wait for him: do not fret

          For him who, prosp'ring in his way,

                   success in sin doth get.

8        Do thou from anger cease, and wrath

                   see thou forsake also:

          Fret not thyself in any wise,

                   that evil thou should'st do.

9        For those that evildoers are

                   shall be cut off and fall:

          But those that wait upon the Lord

                   the earth inherit shall.

10      For yet a little while, and then

                   the wicked shall not be;

          His place thou shalt consider well,

                   but it thou shalt not see.

11      But by inheritance the earth

                   the meek ones shall possess:

          They also shall delight themselves

                   in an abundant peace.

12      The wicked plots against the just,

                   and at him whets his teeth:

13      The Lord shall laugh at him, because

                   his day he coming seeth.

14      The wicked have drawn out the sword,

                   and bent their bow, to slay

          The poor and needy, and to kill

                   men of an upright way.

15      But their own sword, which they have drawn,

                   shall enter their own heart:

          Their bows which they have bent shall break,

                   and into pieces part.

16      A little that a just man hath

                   is more and better far

          Than is the wealth of many such

                   as lewd and wicked are.

17      For sinners' arms shall broken be;

                   but God the just sustains.

18      God knows the just man's days, and still

                   their heritage remains.

19      They shall not be asham'd when they

                   the evil time do see;

          And when the days of famine are,

                   they satisfy'd shall be.

20      But wicked men, and foes of God,

                   as fat of lambs, decay;

          They shall consume, yea, into smoke

                   they shall consume away.

21      The wicked borrows, but the same

                   again he doth not pay;

          Whereas the righteous mercy shews,

                   and gives his own away.

22      For such as blessed be of him

                   the earth inherit shall;

          And they that cursed are of him

                   shall be destroyed all.

23      A good man's footsteps by the Lord

                   are ordered aright;

          And in the way wherein he walks

                   he greatly doth delight.

24      Although he fall, yet shall he not

                   be cast down utterly;

          Because the Lord with his own hand

                   upholds him mightily.

25      I have been young, and now am old,

                   yet have I never seen

          The just man left, nor that his seed

                   for bread have beggars been.

26      He's ever merciful, and lends:

                   his seed is bless'd therefore.

27      Depart from evil, and do good,

                   and dwell for evermore.

28      For God loves judgment, and his saints

                   leaves not in any case;

          They are kept ever: but cut off

                   shall be the sinner's race.

29      The just inherit shall the land,

                   and ever in it dwell:

30      The just man's mouth doth wisdom speak;

                   his tongue doth judgment tell.

31      In's heart the law is of his God,

                   his steps slide not away.

32      The wicked man doth watch the just,

                   and seeketh him to slay.

33      Yet him the Lord will not forsake,

                   nor leave him in his hands:

          The righteous will he not condemn,

                   when he in judgment stands.

34      Wait on the Lord, and keep his way,

                   and thee exalt shall he

          Th' earth to inherit; when cut off

                   the wicked thou shalt see.

35      I saw the wicked great in pow'r,

                   spread like a green bay-tree:

36      He pass'd, yea, was not; him I sought,

                   but found he could not be.

37      Mark thou the perfect, and behold

                   the man of uprightness;

          Because that surely of this man

                   the latter end is peace.

38      But those men that transgressors are

                   shall be destroy'd together;

          The latter end of wicked men

                   shall be cut off for ever.

39      But the salvation of the just

                   is from the Lord above;

          He in the time of their distress

                   their stay and strength doth prove.

40      The Lord shall help, and them deliver:

                   he shall them free and save

          From wicked men; because in him

                   their confidence they have.