Psalms 37:3-20

3Trust [rely on and have confidence] in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and feed [securely] on His faithfulness.

4Delight yourself in the Lord, And He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart.

5Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in Him also and He will do it.

6He will make your righteousness [your pursuit of right standing with God] like the light, And your judgment like [the shining of] the noonday [sun].

7Be still before the Lord; wait patiently for Him and entrust yourself to Him; Do not fret (whine, agonize) because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

8Cease from anger and abandon wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evil.

9For those who do evil will be cut off, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.

10For yet a little while and the wicked one will be gone [forever]; Though you look carefully where he used to be, he will not be [found].

11But the humble will [at last] inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity and peace.

12The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth.

13The Lord laughs at him [the wicked one—the one who oppresses the righteous], For He sees that his day [of defeat] is coming.

14The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slaughter those who are upright in conduct [those with personal integrity and godly character].

15The sword [of the ungodly] will enter their own heart, And their bow will be broken.

16Better is the little of the righteous [who seek the will of God] Than the abundance (riches) of many wicked (godless).

17For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the Lord upholds and sustains the righteous [who seek Him].

18The Lord knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will continue forever.

19They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will have plenty and be satisfied.

20But the wicked (ungodly) will perish, And the enemies of the Lord will be like the glory of the pastures and like the fat of lambs [that is consumed in smoke], They vanish—like smoke they vanish away.