Psalms 37:3-20

3Trust in the Lord and do what is right! Settle in the land and maintain your integrity!

4Then you will take delight in the Lord, and he will answer your prayers.

5Commit your future to the Lord! Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.

6He will vindicate you in broad daylight, and publicly defend your just cause.

7Wait patiently for the Lord! Wait confidently for him! Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, a man who carries out wicked schemes!

8Do not be angry and frustrated! Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!

9Wicked men will be wiped out, but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.

10Evil men will soon disappear; you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.

11But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.

12Evil men plot against the godly and viciously attack them.

13The Lord laughs in disgust at them, for he knows that their day is coming.

14Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly.

15Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men,

17for evil men will lose their power, but the Lord sustains the godly.

18The Lord watches over the innocent day by day and they possess a permanent inheritance.

19They will not be ashamed when hard times come; when famine comes they will have enough to eat.

20But evil men will die; the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated – they will go up in smoke.