Psalms 37

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

1Do not get upset about people who do wrong. Do not wish you were like them.

2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

2They will soon dry up like cut grass. They will fade like small green plants.

3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

3Trust the LORD, and do good. Live in the land and stay faithful. You will have food.

4Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

4Be glad in the LORD. He will give you what your heart really wants.

5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

5Hand your plans over to the LORD. Trust him. He will make it happen.

6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

6He will show everyone that you did right. It will shine like the sun at noon.

7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

7Be still before the LORD. Wait for him. Do not get upset when people who plan bad things do well.

8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

8Stop being angry. Let your anger go. Getting upset only leads you to do wrong.

9For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

9People who do evil will be cut off. People who wait for the LORD will get the land.

10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

10In a little while, the wicked will be gone. You will look for them and find nothing.

11But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

11But humble people will get the land. They will enjoy peace and plenty.

12The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

12Wicked people plan to hurt good people. They grind their teeth at them in anger.

13The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

13But the Lord laughs at them. He sees that their day is coming.

14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

14Wicked people pull out swords and bend their bows. They want to knock down poor and hungry people. They want to kill people who live right.

Note"Upright conversation" in the old English does not mean talking. It means the way a person lives.

15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

15But their swords will go into their own hearts. Their bows will break.

16A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

16A good person with a little is better off than many wicked people with a lot.

17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

17The arms of wicked people will be broken. But the LORD holds good people up.

18The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

18The LORD knows every day of honest people. What he gives them lasts forever.

19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

19In hard times they will not be ashamed. When food is scarce, they will have enough.

20But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

20But wicked people will die. The enemies of the LORD will fade like flowers in a field. They will burn up and blow away like smoke.

NoteThe old wording says "as the fat of lambs." It is a picture of something that burns up quickly and disappears.

21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

21Wicked people borrow and never pay back. Good people are kind and give freely.

22For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

22People the LORD blesses will get the land. People he curses will be cut off.

23The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

23The LORD guides the steps of a good person. He is glad about the way that person goes.

24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

24Even if he falls, he will not stay down. The LORD holds his hand.

25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

25I was young once, and now I am old. I have never seen a good person left all alone. I have never seen his children begging for bread.

26He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

26He is always kind, and he lends to others. His children are a blessing.

27Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

27Turn away from evil and do good. Then you will live in the land forever.

28For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

28The LORD loves what is fair. He never leaves his faithful people. He keeps them safe forever. But the children of wicked people will be cut off.

29The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

29Good people will get the land. They will live there forever.

30The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

30A good person says wise things. His words are fair and true.

31The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

31God's law is inside his heart. His feet do not slip.

32The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

32Wicked people watch good people closely. They try to kill them.

33The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

33But the LORD will not let them win. He will not let good people be judged guilty.

34Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

34Wait for the LORD, and keep going his way. He will lift you up to receive the land. You will see the wicked cut off.

35I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

35I have seen a wicked man with great power. He spread out like a big, healthy tree.

Note"A green bay tree" is a big leafy tree growing strong in good soil. It is a picture of doing very well.

36Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

36But then he was gone. I looked for him, and he could not be found.

37Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

37Look at people who are honest and good. A person of peace has a future.

38But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

38But people who do wrong will all be destroyed. The wicked have no future left.

39But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

39Good people are rescued by the LORD. He is their safe place in hard times.

40And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

40The LORD helps them and gets them out of trouble. He saves them from wicked people, because they trust him.