THE *BOOK OF
PSALMS.
Psalm 37 ©
David instructs and encourages the faithful against the temporal prosperity of the wicked, and exhorts them not to follow their wickedness, but to live holily and to trust in God; inasmuch as the prosperity of the wicked is but short and their end unhappy and accursed; whereas on the contrary, God accompanies His children with His Fatherly goodness in whatsoever may be befall them and grants them a blessed end.
A Psalm of David.
FRETa not thyself because of 1evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and 2wither as the 3green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou 4dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be 5fed.
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
6Commitb thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall 7bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the 8light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
9Rest in the LORD, and 10wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him 11who prospereth in his way, because of the man who 12bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fretc not thyself in any wise to do 13evil.
For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
For yet a 14little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his 15place, and 16it shall not be.
But the 17meek shall inherit the earth;d and shall delight themselves in the 18abundance of peace.
The wicked plotteth against the just, and 19gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
The Lord shall 20laugh at him: for he seeth that 21his day is coming.
The wicked have 22drawn out the sword, and have 23bent their bow, to cast down the 24poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright 25conversation.
Their 26sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
A little that a righteous man hath is 27better than the 28riches of many wicked.
For the 29arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
The LORD 30knoweth the 31days of the 32upright: and their inheritance shall 33be for ever.
They shall not be ashamed in the 34evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the 35fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous 36sheweth mercy, and giveth.
For 37such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
The 38steps of a good 39man are 40ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Though he 41fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
I have been 42young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his 43seed begging bread.
He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is 44blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good; and 45dwell for evermore.
For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his 46saints; they are preserved for ever: but the 47seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the 48land, and dwell therein for ever.
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of 49judgment.
Thee law of his God is in his 50heart; none of his steps 51shall slide.
The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he 52is judged.
Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt 53see it.
I have seen the 54wicked in 55great power, and 56spreading himself like a green 57bay tree.
Yet he 58passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the perfect man, and behold the 59upright: for the 60end of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the 61end of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.