36
1 A Psalm of David.
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be envious of them that do iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be withered as the grass, and shall soon fall away as the green herbs. 3 Hope in the Lord, and do good; and dwell on the land, and thou shalt be fed with the wealth of it. 4 Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall grant thee the requests of thine heart. 5 Disclose thy way to the Lord, and hope in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day.
7 Submit thyself to the Lord, and supplicate him: fret not thyself because of him that prospers in his way, at the man that does unlawful deeds. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself so as to do evil. 9 For evil-doers shall be destroyed: but they that wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the land. 10 And yet a little while, and the sinner shall not be, and thou shalt seek for his place, and shalt not find it. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The sinner will watch for the righteous, and gnash his teeth upon him. 13 But the Lord shall laugh at him: for he foresees that his day will come. 14 Sinners have drawn their swords, they have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy one, and to slay the upright in heart. 15 Let their sword enter into their own heart, and their bows be broken.
16 A little is better to the righteous than abundant wealth of sinners. 17 For the arms of sinners shall be broken; but the Lord supports the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the ways of the perfect; and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in an evil time; and in days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 For the sinners shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord at the moment of their being honoured and exalted have utterly vanished like smoke. 21 The sinner borrows, and will not pay again: but the righteous has compassion, and gives. 22 For they that bless him shall inherit the earth; and they that curse him shall be utterly destroyed.
23 The steps of a man are rightly ordered by the Lord: and he will take pleasure in his way. 24 When he falls, he shall not be ruined: for the Lord supports his hand. 25 I was once young, indeed I am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread. 26 He is merciful, and lends continually; and his seed shall be *blessed.
27 Turn aside from evil, and do good; and dwell for ever. 28 For the Lord loves judgment, and will not forsake his saints; they shall be preserved for ever: the blameless shall be †avenged, but the seed of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed. 29 But the righteous shall inherit the earth, and dwell upon it for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous will meditate wisdom, and his tongue will speak of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; and his steps shall not ‡slide. 32 The sinner watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him. 33 But the Lord will not leave him in his hands, nor by any means condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are destroyed, thou shalt see it.
35 I saw the ungodly very highly exalting himself, and lifting himself up like the cedars of Libanus. 36 Yet I passed by, and lo! he was not: and I sought him, but his place was not found. 37 Maintain innocence, and behold uprightness: for there is a remnant to the peaceable man. 38 But the transgressors shall be utterly destroyed together: the remnants of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; and he is their defender in the time of affliction. 40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: and he shall rescue them from sinners, and save them, because they have hoped in him.
* 36:26 Gr. for a blessing. † 36:28 Or, cleared in judgement. ‡ 36:31 Gr. be tripped up, or supplanted.