By David.
37:1 Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed!
Do not envy evildoers!
37:2 For they will quickly dry up like grass,
and wither away like plants.
37:3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity!
37:4 Then you will take delight in the Lord,
and he will answer your prayers.
37:5 Commit your future to the Lord!
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.
37:6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause.
37:7 Wait patiently for the Lord!
Wait confidently for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner,
a man who carries out wicked schemes!
37:8 Do not be angry and frustrated!
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!
37:9 Wicked men will be wiped out,
but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.
37:10 Evil men will soon disappear;
you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.
37:11 But the oppressed will possess the land
and enjoy great prosperity.
37:12 Evil men plot against the godly
and viciously attack them.
37:13 The Lord laughs in disgust at them,
for he knows that their day is coming.
37:14 Evil men draw their swords
and prepare their bows,
to bring down the oppressed and needy,
and to slaughter those who are godly.
37:15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
37:16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better than
the wealth of many evil men,
37:17 for evil men will lose their power,
but the Lord sustains the godly.
37:18 The Lord watches over the innocent day by day
and they possess a permanent inheritance.
37:19 They will not be ashamed when hard times come;
when famine comes they will have enough to eat.
37:20 But evil men will die;
the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated –
they will go up in smoke.
37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,
but the godly show compassion and are generous.
37:22 Surely those favored by the Lord will possess the land,
but those rejected by him will be wiped out.
37:23 The Lord grants success to the one
whose behavior he finds commendable.
37:24 Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong,
for the Lord holds his hand.
37:25 I was once young, now I am old.
I have never seen a godly man abandoned,
or his children forced to search for food.
37:26 All day long he shows compassion and lends to others,
and his children are blessed.
37:27 Turn away from evil! Do what is right!
Then you will enjoy lasting security.
37:28 For the Lord promotes justice,
and never abandons his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure,
but the children of evil men are wiped out.
37:29 The godly will possess the land
and will dwell in it permanently.
37:30 The godly speak wise words
and promote justice.
37:31 The law of their God controls their thinking;
their feet do not slip.
37:32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly
and try to kill them.
37:33 But the Lord does not surrender the godly,
or allow them to be condemned in a court of law.
37:34 Rely on the Lord! Obey his commands!
Then he will permit you to possess the land;
you will see the demise of evil men.
37:35 I have seen ruthless evil men
growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil.
37:36 But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared!
I looked for them, but they could not be found.
37:37 Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly!
For the one who promotes peace has a future.
37:38 Sinful rebels are totally destroyed;
evil men have no future.
37:39 But the Lord delivers the godly;
he protects them in times of trouble.
37:40 The Lord helps them and rescues them;
he rescues them from evil men and delivers them,
for they seek his protection.