Psalm 37

A Psalm of David.

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.s4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.s6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest 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.s8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.s13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.14 The 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.s15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.20 But 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.s

21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.s24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.s27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.s32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor 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 cut off, thou shalt see it.35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.s36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Psalm 38

A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.

1 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.s4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.s7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.s11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.ss

12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.15 For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.ss16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.s18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.s20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.21 Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.s

Psalm 39

To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.

1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.s2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.s3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,4 Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.s5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.s6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.s

7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.s11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.s12 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.