Psalms 37

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 [Of David] Do not get heated about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.	1 Of David. Do not be provoked by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong.
2 Quick as the grass they wither, fading like the green of the fields.	2 Like grass they wither quickly; like green plants they wilt away.
3 Put your trust in Yahweh and do right, make your home in the land and live secure.	3 Trust in the LORD and do good that you may dwell in the land and live secure.
4 Make Yahweh your joy and he will give you your heart's desires.	4 Find your delight in the LORD who will give you your heart's desire.
5 Commit your destiny to Yahweh, be confident in him, and he wil act,	5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust that God will act
6 making your uprightness clear as daylight, and the justice of your cause as the noon.	6 And make your integrity shine like the dawn, your vindication like noonday.
7 Stay quiet before Yahweh, wait longingly for him, do not get heated over someone who is making afortune, succeeding by devious means.	7 Be still before the LORD; wait for God. Do not be provoked by the prosperous, nor by malicious schemers.
8 Refrain from anger, leave rage aside, do not get heated -- it can do no good;	8 Give up your anger, abandon your wrath; do not be provoked; it brings only harm.
9 for evil-doers will be annihilated, while those who hope in Yahweh shal have the land for their own.	9 Those who do evil will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD will possess the land.
10 A little while and the wicked wil be no more, however wel you search for the place, the wicked wilnot be there;	10 Wait a little, and the wicked will be no more; look for them and they will not be there.
11 but the poor wil have the land for their own, to enjoy untroubled peace.	11 But the poor will possess the land, will delight in great prosperity.
12 The wicked plots against the upright and gnashes his teeth at him,	12 The wicked plot against the just and grind their teeth at them;
13 but Yahweh only laughs at his efforts, knowing that his end is in sight.	13 But the LORD laughs at them, knowing their day is coming.
14 Though the wicked draw his sword and bend his bow to slaughter the honest and bring down thepoor and the needy,	14 The wicked draw their swords; they string their bows To fell the poor and oppressed, to slaughter those whose way is honest.
15 his sword will pierce his own heart, and his bow wil be shattered.	15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts; their bows will be broken.
16 What little the upright possesses outweighs al the wealth of the wicked;	16 Better the poverty of the just than the great wealth of the wicked.
17 for the weapons of the wicked shal be shattered, while Yahweh supports the upright.	17 The arms of the wicked will be broken; the LORD will sustain the just.
18 The lives of the just are in Yahweh's care, their birthright wil endure for ever;	18 The LORD watches over the days of the blameless; their heritage lasts forever.
19 they wil not be put to shame when bad times come, in time of famine they wil have plenty.	19 They will not be disgraced when times are hard; in days of famine they will have plenty.
20 The wicked, enemies of Yahweh, wil be destroyed, they wil vanish like the green of the pasture, theywil vanish in smoke.	20 The wicked perish, the enemies of the LORD; Like the beauty of meadows they vanish; like smoke they disappear.
21 The wicked borrows and wil not repay, but the upright is generous in giving;	21 The wicked borrow but do not repay; the just are generous in giving.
22 those he blesses will have the land for their own, and those he curses be annihilated.	22 For those blessed by the Lord will possess the land, but those accursed will be cut off.
23 Yahweh guides a strong man's steps and keeps them firm; and takes pleasure in him.	23 Those whose steps are guided by the LORD; whose way God approves,
24 When he trips he is not thrown sprawling, since Yahweh supports him by the hand.	24 May stumble, but they will never fall, for the LORD holds their hand.
25 Now I am old, but ever since my youth I never saw an upright person abandoned, or the descendantsof the upright forced to beg their bread.	25 Neither in my youth, nor now in old age have I ever seen the just abandoned or their children begging bread.
26 The upright is always compassionate, always lending, so his descendants reap a blessing.	26 The just always lend generously, and their children become a blessing.
27 Turn your back on evil and do good, you wil have a home for ever,	27 Turn from evil and do good, that you may inhabit the land forever.
28 for Yahweh loves justice and wil not forsake his faithful. Evil-doers wil perish eternally, thedescendants of the wicked be annihilated,	28 For the LORD loves justice and does not abandon the faithful. When the unjust are destroyed, and the children of the wicked cut off,
29 but the upright shal have the land for their own, there they shal live for ever.	29 The just will possess the land and live in it forever.
30 Wisdom comes from the lips of the upright, and his tongue speaks what is right;	30 The mouths of the just utter wisdom; their tongues speak what is right.
31 the law of his God is in his heart, his foot wil never slip.	31 God's teaching is in their hearts; their steps do not falter.
32 The wicked keeps a close eye on the upright, looking out for a chance to kill him;	32 The wicked spy on the just and seek to kill them.
33 Yahweh will never abandon him to the clutches of the wicked, nor let him be condemned if he is tried.	33 But the LORD does not leave the just in their power, nor let them be condemned when tried.
34 Put your hope in Yahweh, keep to his path, he wil raise you up to make the land your own; you willook on while the wicked are annihilated.	34 Wait eagerly for the LORD, and keep to the way; God will raise you to possess the land; you will gloat when the wicked are cut off.
35 I have seen the wicked exultant, towering like a cedar of Lebanon.	35 I have seen ruthless scoundrels, strong as flourishing cedars.
36 When next I passed he was gone, I searched for him and he was nowhere to be found.	36 When I passed by again, they were gone; though I searched, they could not be found.
37 Observe the innocent, consider the honest, for the lover of peace wil not lack children.	37 Observe the honest, mark the upright; those at peace with God have a future.
38 But the wicked wil al be destroyed together, and their children annihilated.	38 But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
39 The upright have Yahweh for their Saviour, their refuge in times of trouble;	39 The salvation of the just is from the LORD, their refuge in time of distress.
40 Yahweh helps them and rescues them, he wil rescue them from the wicked, and save them becausethey take refuge in him.	40 The LORD helps and rescues them, rescues and saves them from the wicked, because in God they take refuge.