Psalms 37:3-20

3Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

4Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

5Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

6He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

7Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

8Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.

9For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

10Soon the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.

11The lowly will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity.

12The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.

13But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.

14The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.

15But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich.

17For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.

18Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever.

19They will not be disgraced in hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.

20But the wicked will die. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field— they will disappear like smoke.