1 Do not be agitated by evildoers;

do not envy those who do wrong.  *

2 For they wither quickly like grass

and wilt like tender green plants.  *

3 Trust in the Lord and do what is good;  *

dwell in the land and live securely.  *,*

4 Take delight in the  Lord,

and he will give you your heart’s desires.  *

5 Commit your way to the  Lord;

trust in him, and he will act,  *

6 making your righteousness shine like the dawn,

your justice like the noonday.  *

7 Be silent before the  Lord and wait expectantly for him;  *

do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,

by the person who carries out evil plans.  *

8 Refrain from anger and give up your rage;

do not be agitated — it can only bring harm.  *

9 For evildoers will be destroyed,

but those who put their hope in the  Lord

will inherit the land.  *

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

though you look for him, he will not be there.  *

11 But the humble will inherit the land  *

and will enjoy abundant prosperity.  *

12 The wicked person schemes against the righteous

and gnashes his teeth at him.  *

13 The Lord laughs at him  *

because he sees that his day is coming.  *

14 The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the  *  bow

to bring down the poor and needy

and to slaughter those whose way is upright.  *

15 Their swords will enter their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.  *

16 The little that the righteous person has is better

than the abundance of many wicked people.  *

17 For the arms of the wicked will be broken,  *

but the Lord supports the righteous.  *

18 The Lord watches over the blameless all their days,

and their inheritance will last forever.  *

19 They will not be disgraced in times of adversity;

they will be satisfied in days of hunger.  *

20 But the wicked will perish;

the Lord’s enemies, like the glory of the pastures,

will fade away —

they will fade away like smoke.  *

21 The wicked person borrows and does not repay,

but the righteous one is gracious and giving.  *

22 Those who are blessed by the  Lord will inherit the land,

but those cursed by him will be destroyed.  *

23 A person’s steps are established by the  Lord,

and he takes pleasure in his way.  *

24 Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed,

because the  Lord supports him with his hand.  *

25 I have been young and now I am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned

or his children begging for bread.  *

26 He is always generous, always lending,

and his children are a blessing.  *

27 Turn away from evil, do what is good,

and settle permanently.  *

28 For the Lord loves justice

and will not abandon his faithful ones.  *

They are kept safe forever,

but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.  *

29 The righteous will inherit the land

and dwell in it permanently.  *

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom;

his tongue speaks what is just.  *

31 The instruction of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not falter.  *

32 The wicked one lies in wait for the righteous

and intends to kill him;  *

33 the Lord will not leave him

in the power of the wicked one

or allow him to be condemned when he is judged.  *

34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,

and he will exalt you to inherit the land.

You will watch when the wicked are destroyed.  *

35 I have seen a wicked, violent person

well-rooted,  * like a flourishing native tree.  *

36 Then I  * passed by and noticed he was gone;

I searched for him, but he could not be found.  *

37 Watch the blameless and observe the upright,

for the person of peace will have a future.  *,*

38 But transgressors will all be eliminated;

the future of the wicked will be destroyed.  *

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the  Lord,

their refuge in a time of distress.  *

40 The Lord helps and delivers them;

he will deliver them from the wicked and will save them

because they take refuge in him.  *