^1. DO not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

^2. For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb.

^3. Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and [1] cultivate faithfulness.

^4. Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

^5. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

^6. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.

^7. [3] Rest in the LORD and wait [2] patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

^8. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

^9. For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

^10. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.

^11. But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

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

^13. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees his day is coming.

^14. The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.

^15. Their sword will enter their own heart, And their bows will be broken.

^16. Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked.

^17. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD sustains the righteous.

^18. The LORD knows the days of the [4] blameless, And their inheritance will be forever.

^19. They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will have abundance.

^20. But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of the LORD will be like the [5] glory of the pastures, They vanish -- like smoke they vanish away.

^21. The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

^22. For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

^23. The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

^24. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One [6] who holds his hand.

^25. I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his [7] descendants begging bread.

^26. All day long he is gracious and lends, And his [8] descendants are a blessing.

^27. Depart from evil and do good, [9] So you will abide forever.

^28. For the LORD loves [11] justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the [10] descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

^29. The righteous will inherit the land And dwell 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 do not slip.

^32. The wicked spies upon the righteous And seeks to kill him.

^33. The LORD will not leave him in his hand Or let him be condemned when he is judged.

^34. Wait for the LORD and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

^35. I have seen a wicked, violent man Spreading himself like a luxuriant [12] tree in its native soil.

^36. Then [13] he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.

^37. Mark the [15] blameless man, and behold the upright; For the man of peace will have a [14] posterity.

^38. But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; The [16] posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

^39. But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.

^40. The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.