Psalm 37

Delight Yourself in the LORD

(1 Kings 2:1–9)

Of David.^a

¹ Do not fret over those who do evil;

do not envy those who do wrong.

² For they wither quickly like grass

and wilt like tender plants.

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;

dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

⁴ Delight yourself 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 it.

⁶ He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn,

your justice like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the LORD

and wait patiently for Him;

do not fret when men prosper in their ways,

when they carry out wicked schemes.

⁸ Refrain from anger and abandon wrath;

do not fret—it can only bring harm.

⁹ For the evildoers will be cut off,

but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

¹⁰ Yet 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^b

and delight in abundant prosperity.

¹² The wicked scheme against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them,

¹³ but the Lord laughs,

seeing that their day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked have drawn the sword

and bent 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 is the little of the righteous

than the abundance of many who are wicked.

¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked will be broken,

but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The LORD knows the days of the blameless,

and their inheritance will last forever.

¹⁹ In the time of evil they will not be ashamed,

and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

²⁰ But the wicked and enemies of the LORD

will perish like the glory of the fields.

They will vanish;

like smoke they will fade away.

²¹ The wicked borrow and do not repay,

but the righteous are gracious and giving.

²² Surely those He blesses will inherit the land,

but the cursed will be destroyed.

²³ The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD

who takes delight in his journey.

²⁴ Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,

for the LORD is holding his hand.^c

²⁵ I once was young and now am old,

yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned

or their children begging for bread.

²⁶ They are ever generous and quick to lend,

and their children are a blessing.

²⁷ Turn away from evil and do good,

so that you will abide forever.

²⁸ For the LORD loves justice

and will not forsake His saints.

They are preserved forever,

but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.

²⁹ The righteous will inherit the land

and dwell in it forever.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,

and his tongue speaks justice.

³¹ The law of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not falter.

³² Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous,

and seek to slay them,

³³ the LORD will not leave them in their power

or let them be condemned under judgment.

³⁴ Wait for the LORD and keep His way,

and He will raise you up to inherit the land.

When the wicked are cut off,

you will see it.

³⁵ I have seen a wicked, ruthless man

flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,

³⁶ yet he passed away and was no more;

though I searched, he could not be found.

³⁷ Consider the blameless and observe the upright,

for posterity awaits the man of peace.^d

³⁸ But the transgressors will all be destroyed;

the future of the wicked will be cut off.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

He is their stronghold in time of trouble.

⁴⁰ The LORD helps and delivers them;

He rescues and saves them from the wicked,

because they take refuge in Him.