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David wrote this song.

Trust the Lord[a]

37 Do not become upset
    because of what wicked people do.
Do not be jealous of people that do bad things.
Remember that they are soon gone!
They are like grass that quickly becomes dry.
    They will soon die like green plants in hot weather.
Trust in the Lord and do good things.
Then you will live safely in the land.
Be happy that the Lord is your friend.
    He will give you what you most want.
Let the Lord be your guide into the future.
    Trust in him and he will help you.
He will show everyone that you are righteous.
People will know that you are a good person,
    as clearly as the sun shines at noon.
Be patient as you wait for the Lord to help you.
    Trust him to bring help.
Do not become upset when bad people seem to do well,
    when their wicked ideas really happen.
Do not become angry or upset!
    It will only bring trouble for you.
Wicked people will disappear one day!
But people who trust the Lord for help
    will live safely in the land that he has given to them.
10 Evil people will soon be gone.
You may look for them,
    but you will not find them.
11 Humble people will live safely in the land.
    They will live in peace and they will enjoy good things.
12 Wicked people think about how to hurt righteous people.
    They show their teeth to frighten good people.
13 But my Lord laughs at those wicked people,
    because he knows that their day of punishment will come.
14 Wicked people get out their swords,
    and they prepare to shoot their arrows.
They try to make poor and helpless people fall down.
    They try to destroy people who do what is right.
15 But their swords will go into their own hearts.
    Their bows will break in pieces.

16 It is better to do what is right and only have a few things,
    than to be wicked and have many things.
17 The Lord keeps righteous people safe,
    but he will destroy the power of wicked people.
18 If anyone lives a completely good life,
    the Lord takes care of them.
His gifts to them will last for ever.
19 When times of trouble come,
    they will still be safe.
In a time of famine,
    they will have enough to eat.
20 But wicked people will die.
    They are the Lord's enemies.
They will disappear like smoke from a fire that burns them up.

21 If you lend money to a wicked person,
    he will not give it back to you.
But righteous people are kind to others
    and they give things freely.
22 Yes, people that the Lord blesses
    will live safely in the land.
But people that he has cursed
    will disappear.
23 If the way that somebody lives pleases the Lord,
    the Lord will lead him into good things.
24 Even if that person trips, he will not fall.
    The Lord will hold his hand.
25 I was young once and now I am old.
But in all my life, I have never seen any good man that God has left alone.
I have not seen his children so hungry
    that they ask people for food.
26 Good people are always kind.
    They lend things to other people.
Their children also bring God's blessing.

27 Turn away from evil things!
    Do what is right!
Then you will live safely in the land for ever.
28 The Lord loves justice.
    He will never leave those who serve him.
He will take care of them for ever,
    but he will remove the children of wicked people.
29 God's righteous people will take the land for themselves.
    They will live there for ever.
30 Righteous people speak wise words.
    What they say brings justice.
31 They think about God's Law all the time,
    so that they do not make mistakes.
32 Evil people wait for a chance to kill righteous people.
33 But the Lord will not leave his righteous people,
    so that their enemies have power over them.
When evil people accuse them,
    the Lord will show that they are not guilty.

34 Be patient and continue to trust the Lord.
    Obey his commands.
Then he will give you honour,
    so that you live safely in the land.
You will see that the Lord destroys wicked people.
35 I have seen cruel, wicked people become very powerful,
    like trees that grow well in good soil.
36 But soon after that,
    I see that they have disappeared!
I looked for them,
    but I could not find them anywhere.
37 Think about people who are honest
    and who do what is right.
Those who help people to live in peace
    will live to enjoy their children.
38 But God will destroy people that turn against him.
Evil people will not have descendants.
39 The Lord will make righteous people safe.
He will take care of them in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them.
He saves them from wicked people.
He keeps them safe
    because they turn to him for help.

Footnotes

  1. 37:1 Psalm 37 is an alphabet psalm. Verse 1 begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, verse 3 with the second letter, and so on.

Psalm 37[a]

Of David.

Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious(A) of those who do wrong;(B)
for like the grass they will soon wither,(C)
    like green plants they will soon die away.(D)

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

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

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)

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 37:26 Or freely; / the names of their children will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or freely; / others will see that their children are blessed
  3. Psalm 37:28 See Septuagint; Hebrew They will be protected forever
  4. Psalm 37:37 Or upright; / those who seek peace will have posterity
  5. Psalm 37:38 Or posterity