The Protection of the Righteous and the Destruction of the Wicked

• 37 Do not fret because of evildoers; do not be envious of doers of wickedness.
• 2 For like the grass they will dry up quickly, and like green vegetation they will wither.
• 3 Trust Yahweh and do good. Abide in the land and feed on faithfulness.[fn]
• 4 Take pleasure in Yahweh as well, and he will give to you the requests of your heart.
• 5 Commit to[fn] Yahweh your way; Trust also on him and he will act.
• 6 Then he will bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your justice like the noonday.
• 7 Be quiet before Yahweh and wait for him. Do not fret about one who succeeds in his way,
• about a man making plots.
• 8 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret; it only brings evil.
• 9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh—
• they will possess the land.
• 10 And[fn] yet a little while and the wicked will not be, and you will look carefully upon his place, but he will not be.
• 11 But the afflicted will possess the land, and they will take pleasure in an abundance of peace.
• 12 The wicked plans evil against the righteous, and gnashes at him with his teeth.
• 13 The Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming.
• 14 The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to throw down the poor and the needy,
• to kill those upright in their way.
• 15 Their sword will enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
• 16 The little belonging to the righteous is better than the wealth of many wicked.
• 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Yahweh supports the righteous.
• 18 Yahweh knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.
• 19 They will not be put to shame in distressing times,[fn] and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.
• 20 But the wicked will perish, and the enemies of Yahweh will be like the splendor of the pastures.
• They vanish; in smoke they vanish.
• 21 The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and gives.
• 22 For those blessed by him shall possess the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
• 23 The steps of a man are established by Yahweh, and he takes pleasure in his way.
• 24 Though he fall, he will not be cast headlong, for Yahweh supports him with his hand.
• 25 I was a youth, but I am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
• or his children begging for[fn] bread.
• 26 All the day he is gracious and lends, and his children are a blessing.
• 27 Turn aside from evil and do good and so abide forever.
• 28 For Yahweh loves justice and will not forsake his faithful ones.
• They are protected forever.
• But the children of the wicked will be cut off.
• 29 The righteous will possess the land and abide in it forever.
• 30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
• 31 The law of his God is in his heart. His steps will not slip.
• 32 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to kill him.
• 33 Yahweh will not abandon him into his hand, and he will not let him be condemned when he is judged.
• 34 Wait for Yahweh and keep his way, and he will exalt you to possess the land.
• When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
• 35 I have seen the wicked acting violently and spreading himself out
• like a luxuriant native tree.
• 36 Then he passed on[fn] and behold, he was not. And I sought him, but he could not be found.
• 37 Observe the blameless and look at the upright, for there is a future for a man of peace.
• 38 But transgressors shall be destroyed altogether. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
• 39 And[fn] the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh, their refuge in the time of trouble.
• 40 And Yahweh helps them and he rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,
• because they take refuge in him.