Psalm 37:19-40

English Standard Version

¹⁹they are not put to shame in evil times;
in ^(A)the days of famine they have abundance.

²⁰But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the Lord are like ^(B)the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like ^(C)smoke they vanish away.

²¹The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous ^(D)is generous and gives;
²²for those blessed by the Lord^[a] shall ^(E)inherit the land,
but those cursed by him ^(F)shall be cut off.

²³The ^(G)steps of a man are ^(H)established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
²⁴^(I)though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord ^(J)upholds his hand.

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

²⁷^(M)Turn away from evil and do good;
    so shall you ^(N)dwell forever.
²⁸For the Lord ^(O)loves justice;
    he will not forsake his ^(P)saints.
They are preserved forever,
    but the children of the wicked shall be ^(Q)cut off.
²⁹The righteous shall inherit the land
    and ^(R)dwell upon it forever.

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

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

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

³⁵^(Z)I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like ^(AA)a green laurel tree.^[b]
³⁶But he passed away,^[c] and behold, ^(AB)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 ^(AC)peace.
³⁸But ^(AD)transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked ^(AE)shall be cut off.

³⁹^(AF)The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in ^(AG)the time of trouble.
⁴⁰The Lord helps them and ^(AH)delivers them;
    ^(AI)he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they ^(AJ)take refuge in him.