| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1By David. Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers! | 1Of David. Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; |
| 2For they will quickly dry up like grass, and wither away like plants. | 2for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. |
| 3Trust in the LORD and do what is right! Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! | 3Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. |
| 4Then you will take delight in the LORD, and he will answer your prayers. | 4Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. |
| 5Commit your future to the LORD! Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. | 5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: |
| 6He will vindicate you in broad daylight, and publicly defend your just cause. | 6He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. |
| 7Wait patiently for the LORD! Wait confidently for him! Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, a man who carries out wicked schemes! | 7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. |
| 8Do not be angry and frustrated! Do not fret! That only leads to trouble! | 8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. |
| 9Wicked men will be wiped out, but those who rely on the LORD are the ones who will possess the land. | 9For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. |
| 10Evil men will soon disappear; you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone. | 10A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. |
| 11But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity. | 11But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. |
| 12Evil men plot against the godly and viciously attack them. | 12The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; |
| 13The Lord laughs in disgust at them, for he knows that their day is coming. | 13but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. |
| 14Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly. | 14The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. |
| 15Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. | 15But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. |
| 16The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men, | 16Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; |
| 17for evil men will lose their power, but the LORD sustains the godly. | 17for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. |
| 18The LORD watches over the innocent day by day and they possess a permanent inheritance. | 18The blameless spend their days under the LORD's care, and their inheritance will endure forever. |
| 19They will not be ashamed when hard times come; when famine comes they will have enough to eat. | 19In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. |
| 20But evil men will die; the LORD's enemies will be incinerated--they will go up in smoke. | 20But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD's enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. |
| 21Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous. | 21The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; |
| 22Surely those favored by the LORD will possess the land, but those rejected by him will be wiped out. | 22those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed. |
| 23The LORD grants success to the one whose behavior he finds commendable. | 23The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; |
| 24Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong, for the LORD holds his hand. | 24though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. |
| 25I was once young, now I am old. I have never seen a godly man abandoned, or his children forced to search for food. | 25I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. |
| 26All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, and his children are blessed. | 26They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing. |
| 27Turn away from evil! Do what is right! Then you will enjoy lasting security. | 27Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. |
| 28For the LORD promotes justice, and never abandons his faithful followers. They are permanently secure, but the children of evil men are wiped out. | 28For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish. |
| 29The godly will possess the land and will dwell in it permanently. | 29The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. |
| 30The godly speak wise words and promote justice. | 30The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. |
| 31The law of their God controls their thinking; their feet do not slip. | 31The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip. |
| 32Evil men set an ambush for the godly and try to kill them. | 32The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death; |
| 33But the LORD does not surrender the godly, or allow them to be condemned in a court of law. | 33but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial. |
| 34Rely on the LORD! Obey his commands! Then he will permit you to possess the land; you will see the demise of evil men. | 34Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it. |
| 35I have seen ruthless evil men growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil. | 35I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree, |
| 36But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared! I looked for them, but they could not be found. | 36but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found. |
| 37Take note of the one who has integrity! Observe the godly! For the one who promotes peace has a future. | 37Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. |
| 38Sinful rebels are totally destroyed; evil men have no future. | 38But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked. |
| 39But the LORD delivers the godly; he protects them in times of trouble. | 39The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. |
| 40The LORD helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from evil men and delivers them, for they seek his protection. | 40The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. |
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