| 1 | Of David. Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; | |
| 2 | for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. | |
| 3 | Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. | |
| 4 | Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. | |
| 5 | Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: | |
| 6 | He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. | |
| 7 | Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. | |
| 8 | Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. | |
| 9 | For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. | |
| 10 | A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. | |
| 11 | But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. | |
| 12 | The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; | |
| 13 | but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. | |
| 14 | The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. | |
| 15 | But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. | |
| 16 | Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; | |
| 17 | for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. | |
| 18 | The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. | |
| 19 | In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. | |
| 20 | But the wicked will perish: The LORD'S enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish--vanish like smoke. | |
| 21 | The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; | |
| 22 | those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off. | |
| 23 | If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; | |
| 24 | though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. | |
| 25 | I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. | |
| 26 | They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. | |
| 27 | Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. | |
| 28 | For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; | |
| 29 | the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. | |
| 30 | The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. | |
| 31 | The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip. | |
| 32 | The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; | |
| 33 | but the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial. | |
| 34 | Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it. | |
| 35 | I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil, | |
| 36 | but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found. | |
| 37 | Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace. | |
| 38 | But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. | |
| 39 | The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. | |
| 40 | The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. | |