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God Will Reward Fairly

Of David.

37 Don’t be upset because of evil people.
    Don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.
Like the grass, they will soon dry up.
    Like green plants, they will soon die away.

Trust the Lord and do good.
    Live in the land and enjoy its safety.
Enjoy serving the Lord.
    And he will give you what you want.
Depend on the Lord.
    Trust him, and he will take care of you.
Then your goodness will shine like the sun.
    Your fairness will shine like the noonday sun.

Wait and trust the Lord.
    Don’t be upset when others get rich
    or when someone else’s plans succeed.
Don’t get angry.
    Don’t be upset; it only leads to trouble.
Evil people will be sent away.
    But people who trust the Lord will inherit the land.
10 In a little while there will be no more wicked people.
    You may look for them, but they will be gone.
11 People who are not proud will inherit the land.
    They will enjoy complete peace.

12 The wicked make evil plans against good people.
    They grind their teeth at them in anger.
13 But the Lord laughs at the wicked.
    He sees that their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw their swords.
    They bend their bows.
They try to kill the poor and helpless.
    They want to kill those who are honest.
15 But their swords will stab their own hearts.
    Their bows will break.

16 It’s better to have little and be right
    than to have much and be wrong.
17 The power of the wicked will be broken.
    But the Lord supports those who do right.
18 The Lord watches over the lives of the innocent.
    Their reward will last forever.
19 They will not be ashamed when trouble comes.
    They will be full in times of hunger.
20 But the wicked will die.
    The Lord’s enemies will be like the flowers of the fields.
    They will disappear like smoke.
21 The wicked people borrow but don’t pay back.
    But those who do right give freely to others.
22 Those people the Lord blesses will inherit the land.
    But those he curses will be sent away.

23 When a man’s steps follow the Lord,
    God is pleased with his ways.
24 If he stumbles, he will not fall,
    because the Lord holds his hand.

25 I was young, and now I am old.
    But I have never seen the Lord leave good people helpless.
    I have never seen their children begging for food.
26 Good people always lend freely to others.
    And their children are a blessing.

27 Stop doing evil and do good.
    Then you will live forever.
28 The Lord loves justice.
    He will not leave those who worship him.
He will always protect them.
    But the children of the wicked will die.
29 Good people will inherit the land.
    They will live in it forever.

30 A good person speaks with wisdom.
    He says what is fair.
31 The teachings of his God are in his heart.
    He does not fail to keep them.
32 The wicked watch for good people.
    They want to kill them.
33 The Lord will not take away his protection.
    He will not judge good people guilty.

34 Wait for the Lord’s help
    and follow him.
He will honor you and give you the land.
    And you will see the wicked people sent away.

35 I saw a wicked and cruel man.
    He looked strong like a healthy tree in good soil.
36 But he died and was gone.
    I looked for him, but he couldn’t be found.

37 Think of the innocent person.
    Watch the honest one.
The man who has peace
    will have children to live after him.
38 But sinners will be destroyed.
    In the end the wicked will die.

39 The Lord saves good people.
    He is their strong city in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and saves them.
    He saves them from the wicked
    because they trust in him for protection.

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