• Psalm 37This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

  • 1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
  • 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
  • 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
  • 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
  • 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
  • 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
  • 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
  • 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
  • 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
  • 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
  • 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
  • 12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
  • 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
  • 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
  • 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
  • 16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
  • 17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
  • 18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.
  • 19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
  • 20 But the wicked will perish: Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
  • 21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
  • 22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.
  • 23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
  • 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
  • 25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
  • 26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.
  • 27 Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
  • 28 For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish.
  • 29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
  • 30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.
  • 31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.
  • 32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, 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 when brought to trial.
  • 34 Hope in the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
  • 35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing 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.
  • 37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.
  • 38 But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked.
  • 39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
  • 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.