| Chapter 37 |
1 |
Of David. Do not be angry because of the wrongdoers, or have envy of the workers of evil. --
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2 |
For they will quickly be cut down like grass, and become dry like the green plants. --
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3 |
Have faith in the Lord, and do good; be at rest in the land, and go after righteousness. --
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4 |
So will your delight be in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. --
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5 |
Put your life in the hands of the Lord; have faith in him and he will do it. --
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6 |
And he will make your righteousness be seen like the light, and your cause like the shining of the sun. --
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7 |
Take your rest in the Lord, waiting quietly for him; do not be angry because of the man who does well in his evil ways, and gives effect to his bad designs. --
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8 |
Put an end to your wrath and be no longer bitter; do not give way to angry feeling which is a cause of sin. --
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9 |
For the evil-doers will be cut off: but those who have faith in the Lord will have the earth for their heritage. --
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10 |
For in a short time the evil-doer will be gone: you will go searching for his place, and it will not be there. --
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11 |
But the gentle will have the earth for their heritage; they will take their delight in peace without measure. --
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12 |
The sinner has evil designs against the upright, lifting up the voice of wrath against him. --
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13 |
He will be laughed at by the Lord, who sees that his day is coming. --
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14 |
The evil-doers have taken out their swords, their bows are bent; for crushing the poor, and to put to death those who are upright in their ways. --
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15 |
But their swords will be turned into their hearts, and their bows will be broken. --
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16 |
The little which the good man has is better than the wealth of evil-doers. --
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17 |
For the arms of the evil-doers will be broken: but the Lord is the support of the good. --
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18 |
The days of the upright are numbered by the Lord, and their heritage will be for ever. --
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19 |
They will not be shamed in the evil time, and in the days when all are in need of food they will have enough. --
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20 |
But the wrongdoers will come to destruction, and the haters of the Lord will be like the fat of lambs, they will be burned up; they will go up in smoke, and never again be seen. --
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21 |
The sinner takes money and does not give it back; but the upright man has mercy, and gives to others. --
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22 |
Those who have his blessing will have the earth for their heritage; but those who are cursed by him will be cut off. --
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23 |
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he takes delight in his way. --
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24 |
Even if he has a fall he will not be without help: for the hand of the Lord is supporting him. --
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25 |
I have been young, and now am old, but I have not seen the good man without help, or his children looking for bread. --
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26 |
All the day he is ready to have mercy and to give; his children are a blessing. --
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27 |
Be turned from evil, and do good; and your place will be for ever. --
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28 |
For the Lord is a lover of righteousness, and takes care of his saints; they will be kept safe for ever; but the seed of the evil-doers will be cut off. --
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29 |
The upright will have the earth for their heritage, and will go on living there for ever. --
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30 |
The mouth of the good man says words of wisdom; the talk of his tongue is of righteousness. --
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31 |
The law of his God is in his heart; he will never make a false step. --
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32 |
The sinners are watching the upright man, desiring to put him to death. --
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33 |
The Lord will not give him into their hands, or be against him when he is judged. --
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34 |
Be waiting for the Lord, and keep his way; and you will be lifted up, and have the land for your heritage: when the evil-doers are cut off, you will see it. --
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35 |
I have seen the evil-doer in great power, covering the earth like a great tree. --
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36 |
But he came to an end, and there was no sign of him; I made a search for him and he was not there. --
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37 |
Give attention to the good man, and take note of the upright; because the end of that man is peace. --
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38 |
But as for the sinners, they will be cut off together; the end of the wrongdoers is destruction. --
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39 |
But the Lord is the saviour of the upright: he is their strength in the time of trouble. --
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40 |
And the Lord will be their help, and keep them safe: he will take them out of the hands of the evil-doers, and be their saviour, because they had faith in him. --
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