Psalm 37

He Will Not Forsake His Saints

1 Do a not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down b like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 c Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your d heart.

5 e Commit 1 your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass. 6 f He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD, g and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who h prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

8 i Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
j Do not fret - it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be 2 cut off;
But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall k inherit the earth.

10 For l yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, m you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more. 11 n But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12 The wicked plots against the just,
o And gnashes at him with his teeth. 13 p The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that q his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct. 15 Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.

16 r A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The LORD knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20 But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the LORD,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But s the righteous shows mercy and gives. 22 t For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be 3 cut off.

23 u The steps of a good man are 4 ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way. 24 v Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread. 26 w He is 5 ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.

27 Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore. 28 For the LORD loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 x The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.

30 y The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall 6 slide.

32 The wicked z watches the righteous,
And seeks to slay him. 33 The LORD a will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.

34 b Wait on the LORD,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

35 I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree. 36 Yet 7 he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace. 38 c But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength d in the time of trouble. 40 And e the LORD shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
f Because they trust in Him.

  1. Cross References
    Psalms 73:3
    For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
    Proverbs 23:17
    Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day.
    Proverbs 24:19
    Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the wicked.
  2. Cross References
    Job 14:2
    He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.
    Psalms 90:5
    You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up:
    Psalms 90:6
    In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers.
    Psalms 92:7
    When the wicked spring up like grass, And when all the workers of iniquity flourish, It is that they may be destroyed forever.
    James 1:11
    For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
  3. Cross References
    Job 22:26
    For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.
    Psalms 94:19
    In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
    Isaiah 58:14
    Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken.
  4. Cross References
    Psalms 21:2
    You have given him his heart's desire, And have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
    Psalms 145:19
    He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.
    Matthew 7:7
    Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
    Matthew 7:8
    For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
  5. Cross References
    Psalms 55:22
    Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
    Proverbs 16:3
    Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.
    1 Peter 5:7
    Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
  6. Cross References
    Job 11:17
    And your life would be brighter than noonday. Though you were dark, you would be like the morning.
    Isaiah 58:8
    Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
    Isaiah 58:10
    If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
  7. Cross References
    Psalms 40:1
    I WAITED patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.
    Psalms 62:5
    My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.
    Lamentations 3:26
    It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD.
  8. Cross References
    Psalms 73:3 - 12
    For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
  9. Cross References
    Ephesians 4:26
    Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath.
  10. Cross References
    Psalms 73:3
    For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
  11. Cross References
    Psalms 25:13
    He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
    Proverbs 2:21
    For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it.
    Isaiah 57:13
    When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, And shall inherit My holy mountain.
    Isaiah 60:21
    Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.
    Matthew 5:5
    Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
  12. Cross References
    Hebrews 10:37
    For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
  13. Cross References
    Job 7:10
    He shall never return to his house, Nor shall his place know him anymore.
    Psalms 37:35
    I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree.
    Psalms 37:36
    Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.
  14. Cross References
    Matthew 5:5
    Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
  15. Cross References
    Psalms 35:16
    With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 2:4
    He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision.
    Psalms 59:8
    But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision.
  17. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:10
    David said furthermore, " As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish.
    Job 18:20
    Those in the west are astonished at his day, As those in the east are frightened.
  18. Cross References
    Proverbs 15:16
    Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, Than great treasure with trouble.
    Proverbs 16:8
    Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice.
    1 Timothy 6:6
    Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
  19. Cross References
    Psalms 112:5
    A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion.
    Psalms 112:9
    He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor.
  20. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:33
    The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.
  21. Cross References
    1 Samuel 2:9
    He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. "For by strength no man shall prevail.
    Psalms 40:2
    He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.
    Psalms 66:9
    Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved.
    Psalms 119:5
    Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes!
  22. Cross References
    Proverbs 24:16
    For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
  23. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 15:8
    But you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.
    Psalms 37:21
    The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
  24. Cross References
    Psalms 37:9
    For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.
    Proverbs 2:21
    For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it.
  25. Cross References
    Matthew 12:35
    A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
  26. Cross References
    Psalms 10:8
    He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the secret places he murders the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless.
    Psalms 17:11
    They have now surrounded us in our steps; They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth.
  27. Cross References
    Psalms 31:8
    And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.
    2 Peter 2:9
    Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.
  28. Cross References
    Psalms 27:14
    Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!
    Psalms 37:9
    For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.
  29. Cross References
    Psalms 1:4 - 6
    The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
    Psalms 37:20
    But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the LORD, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away.
    Psalms 37:28
    For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
  30. Cross References
    Psalms 9:9
    The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.
    Psalms 37:19
    They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
  31. Cross References
    Psalms 22:4
    Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them.
    Isaiah 31:5
    Like birds flying about, So will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; Passing over, He will preserve it.
    Daniel 3:17
    If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.
    Daniel 6:23
    Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.
  32. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 5:20
    And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him.
    Psalms 34:22
    The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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