Psalm 37 (English Standard Version)

Psalm 37

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

^[a] Of David.

 ^1(A) Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
   be not^(B) envious of wrongdoers!
²For they will soon^(C) fade like^(D) the grass
   and wither^(E) like the green herb.

 ^3(F) Trust in the LORD, and do good;
   ^(G) dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.^[b]
4(H) Delight yourself in the LORD,
   and he will^(I) give you the desires of your heart.

 ^5(J) Commit your way to the LORD;
   ^(K) trust in him, and he will act.
^6(L) He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
   and your justice as^(M) the noonday.

 ^7(N) Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
   ^(O) fret not yourself over the one who^(P) prospers in his way,
   over the man who carries out evil devices!

 ^8(Q) Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
   ^(R) Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
^9(S) For the evildoers shall be cut off,
   but those who wait for the LORD shall^(T) inherit the land.

 ¹⁰In^(U) just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
   though you look carefully at^(V) his place, he will not be there.
¹¹But^(W) the meek shall inherit the land
   and delight themselves in^(X) abundant peace.

 ¹²The wicked^(Y) plots against the righteous
   and^(Z) gnashes his teeth at him,
¹³but the Lord^(AA) laughs at the wicked,
   for he sees that his^(AB) day is coming.

 ¹⁴The wicked draw the sword and^(AC) bend their bows
   to bring down the poor and needy,
   to slay those whose^(AD) way is upright;
¹⁵their sword shall enter their own heart,
   and their^(AE) bows shall be broken.

 ^16(AF) Better is the little that the righteous has
   than the abundance of many wicked.
¹⁷For^(AG) the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
   but the LORD^(AH) upholds the righteous.

 ¹⁸The LORD^(AI) knows the days of the blameless,
   and their^(AJ) heritage will remain forever;
¹⁹they are not put to shame in evil times;
   in^(AK) the days of famine they have abundance.

 ²⁰But the wicked will perish;
   the enemies of the LORD are like^(AL) the glory of the pastures;
   they vanish—like^(AM) smoke they vanish away.

 ²¹The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
   but the righteous^(AN) is generous and gives;
²²for those blessed by the LORD^[c] shall^(AO) inherit the land,
   but those cursed by him^(AP) shall be cut off.

 ²³The^(AQ) steps of a man are^(AR) established by the LORD,
   when he delights in his way;
^24(AS) though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
   for the LORD^(AT) upholds his hand.

 ²⁵I have been young, and now am old,
   yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
   or his children^(AU) begging for bread.
²⁶He is ever^(AV) lending generously,
   and his children become a blessing.

 ^27(AW) Turn away from evil and do good;
   so shall you^(AX) dwell forever.
²⁸For the LORD^(AY) loves justice;
   he will not forsake his^(AZ) saints.
They are preserved forever,
   but the children of the wicked shall be^(BA) cut off.
²⁹The righteous shall inherit the land
   and^(BB) dwell upon it forever.

 ³⁰The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
   and his tongue speaks justice.
^31(BC) The law of his God is in his heart;
   his^(BD) steps do not slip.

 ³²The wicked^(BE) watches for the righteous
   and seeks to put him to death.
³³The LORD will not^(BF) abandon him to his power
   or let him^(BG) be condemned when he is brought to trial.

 ^34(BH) Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
   and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
   you will look on^(BI) when the wicked are cut off.

 ^35(BJ) I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
   spreading himself like^(BK) a green laurel tree.^[d]
36But he passed away,^[e] and behold,^(BL) he was no more;
   though I sought him, he could not be found.

 ³⁷Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
   for there is a future for the man of^(BM) peace.
³⁸But^(BN) transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
   the future of the wicked^(BO) shall be cut off.

 ^39(BP) The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
   he is their stronghold in^(BQ) the time of trouble.
⁴⁰The LORD helps them and^(BR) delivers them;
   ^(BS) he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
   because they^(BT) take refuge in him.