Take the Stairs

Psalm 37

Of David.

1Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious of those who do wrong;

2for like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away.

3Trust in the

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4Take delight in the

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5Commit your way to the

trust in him and he will do this:

6He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

7Be still before the

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9For those who are evil will be destroyed,

but those who hope in the

10A little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look for them, they will not be found.

11But the meek will inherit the land

and enjoy peace and prosperity.

12The wicked plot against the righteous

and gnash their teeth at them;

13but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he knows their day is coming.

14The wicked draw the sword

and bend the bow

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose ways are upright.

15But their swords will pierce their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

16Better the little that the righteous have

than the wealth of many wicked;

17for the power of the wicked will be broken,

but the

18The blameless spend their days under the

and their inheritance will endure forever.

19In times of disaster they will not wither;

in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20But the wicked will perish:

Though the

they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

21The wicked borrow and do not repay,

but the righteous give generously;

22those the

but those he curses will be destroyed.

23The

of the one who delights in him;

24though he may stumble, he will not fall,

for the

25I was young and now I am old,

yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken

or their children begging bread.

26They are always generous and lend freely;

their children will be a blessing.

27Turn from evil and do good;

then you will dwell in the land forever.

28For the

and will not forsake his faithful ones.

Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;

the offspring of the wicked will perish.

29The righteous will inherit the land

and dwell in it forever.

30The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,

and their tongues speak what is just.

31The law of their God is in their hearts;

their feet do not slip.

32The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,

intent on putting them to death;

33but the

or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34Hope in the

and keep his way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

35I have seen a wicked and ruthless man

flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,

36but he soon passed away and was no more;

though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37Consider the blameless, observe the upright;

a future awaits those who seek peace.

38But all sinners will be destroyed;

there will be no future for the wicked.

39The salvation of the righteous comes from the

he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40The

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.