| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1By David. Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers! | 1Don't be angry because of those who do evil, do not be jealous because of those who commit iniquity. |
| 2For they will quickly dry up like grass, and wither away like plants. | 2Indeed, they soon will wither like grass, and like green herbs they will fade 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 feed on faithfulness. |
| 4Then you will take delight in the LORD, and he will answer your prayers. | 4Delight yourself 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 him, and he will act. |
| 6He will vindicate you in broad daylight, and publicly defend your just cause. | 6He will bring forth your righteousness as a light, and your justice as 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 silent in the LORD's presence and wait patiently for him. Don't be angry because of the one whose way prospers or the one who implements evil schemes. |
| 8Do not be angry and frustrated! Do not fret! That only leads to trouble! | 8Calm your anger and abandon wrath. Don't be angry— it only leads to evil. |
| 9Wicked men will be wiped out, but those who rely on the LORD are the ones who will possess the land. | 9Those who do evil will perish. But those who wait on 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. | 10Yet a little while longer, and the wicked will be no more. You will search for his place, but he will not be there. |
| 11But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity. | 11The humble will inherit the land; they will take in abundant peace. |
| 12Evil men plot against the godly and viciously attack them. | 12The wicked person plots against the righteous, and grinds his teeth at him. |
| 13The Lord laughs in disgust at them, for he knows that their day is coming. | 13But the Lord laughs at him because he sees that his 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 take out a sword and bend the bow, to bring down the humble and the poor to slay those who are righteous in conduct. |
| 15Their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. | 15But their sword will pierce their own heart, and their bows will be broken! |
| 16The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men, | 16Better is the little that the righteous have than the abundance of many wicked people. |
| 17for evil men will lose their power, but the LORD sustains the godly. | 17For the arms 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 LORD knows the day of the blameless, and their inheritance will last forever. |
| 19They will not be ashamed when hard times come; when famine comes they will have enough to eat. | 19They will not experience shame in times of trouble; in times of famine they will have plenty. |
| 20But evil men will die; the LORD's enemies will be incinerated--they will go up in smoke. | 20Indeed, the wicked will perish. The LORD's enemies will be consumed like flowers in the fields. They will vanish like smoke. |
| 21Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt, but the godly show compassion and are generous. | 21The wicked borrow but never pay back; but the righteous are generous and give. |
| 22Surely those favored by the LORD will possess the land, but those rejected by him will be wiped out. | 22For those blessed by God will inherit the land, but those cursed by him will be cut off. |
| 23The LORD grants success to the one whose behavior he finds commendable. | 23A man's steps are established by the LORD, and the LORD delights in his way. |
| 24Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong, for the LORD holds his hand. | 24Though he stumbles, he will not fall down flat, for the LORD will hold up 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 once was young and now I am old, but I have not seen a righteous person forsaken or his descendants begging for bread. |
| 26All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, and his children are blessed. | 26Every day he is generous, lending freely, and his descendants are blessed. |
| 27Turn away from evil! Do what is right! Then you will enjoy lasting security. | 27Depart from evil, and do good, and you will live 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. | 28Indeed, the LORD loves justice, and he will not abandon his godly ones. They are kept safe forever, but the lawless will be chased away, and the descendants of the wicked will be cut off. |
| 29The godly will possess the land and will dwell in it permanently. | 29The righteous will inherit the land, and they will dwell in it forever. |
| 30The godly speak wise words and promote justice. | 30The mouth of the righteous one produces wisdom; his tongue speaks justice. |
| 31The law of their God controls their thinking; their feet do not slip. | 31The instruction of his God is in his heart; his steps will not slip. |
| 32Evil men set an ambush for the godly and try to kill them. | 32The wicked stalks the righteous person, seeking to kill him, |
| 33But the LORD does not surrender the godly, or allow them to be condemned in a court of law. | 33but the LORD will not let him fall into his hands. He will not be condemned when he is put on 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. | 34Wait on the LORD, Keep faithful to his way, and he will exalt you to possess the land. You will see the wicked cut off. |
| 35I have seen ruthless evil men growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil. | 35I once observed a wicked and oppressive person, flourishing like a green tree in native soil. |
| 36But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared! I looked for them, but they could not be found. | 36But then he passed away; in fact, he simply was not there. When 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. | 37Observe the blameless! Take note of the upright! Indeed, the future of that man is peace. |
| 38Sinful rebels are totally destroyed; evil men have no future. | 38Sinners will be destroyed together; the future of the wicked will be cut off. |
| 39But the LORD delivers the godly; he protects them in times of trouble. | 39But deliverance for the righteous one comes from the LORD; he is their strength in times of distress. |
| 40The LORD helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from evil men and delivers them, for they seek his protection. | 40The LORD helps and delivers them; he will deliver them from the wicked, and he will save them because they have sought refuge in him. |
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