The Protection of the Righteous and the Destruction of the Wicked

¹ Of David.¹ Do not fret because of evildoers; do not be envious of doers of wickedness.

1. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm

² For like the grass they will dry up quickly, and like green vegetation they will wither.

³ Trust Yahweh and do good. Abide in the land and feed on faithfulness.¹

1. That is, God’s faithfulness

⁴ Take pleasure in Yahweh as well, and he will give to you the requests of your heart.

⁵ ⌞Commit to⌟¹ Yahweh your way; Trust also on him and he will act.

1. Literally “Roll upon”

⁶ Then he will bring forth your righteousness like the light, and your justice like the noonday.

⁷ Be quiet before Yahweh and wait for him. Do not fret about one who succeeds in his way, about a man making plots.

⁸ Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret; it only brings evil.

⁹ For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for Yahweh— they will possess the land.

¹⁰ And¹ yet a little while and the wicked will not be, and you will look carefully upon his place, but he will not be.

1. Or “But”

¹¹ But the afflicted will possess the land, and they will take pleasure in an abundance of peace.

¹² The wicked plans evil against the righteous, and gnashes at him with his teeth.

¹³ The Lord laughs at him, for he sees that his day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to throw down the poor and the needy, to kill those upright in their way.

¹⁵ Their sword will enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶ The little belonging to the righteous is better than the wealth of many wicked.

¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Yahweh supports the righteous.

¹⁸ Yahweh knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.

¹⁹ They will not be put to shame in distressing times,¹ and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.

1. Hebrew “time”

²⁰ But the wicked will perish, and the enemies of Yahweh will be like the splendor of the pastures. They vanish; in smoke they vanish.

²¹ The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and gives.

²² For those blessed by him shall possess the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³ The steps of a man are established by Yahweh, and he takes pleasure in his way.

²⁴ Though he fall, he will not be cast headlong, for Yahweh supports him with his hand.

²⁵ I was a youth, but I am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children ⌞begging for⌟¹ bread.

1. Literally “searching”

²⁶ All the day he is gracious and lends, and his children are a blessing.

²⁷ Turn aside from evil and do good and so abide forever.

²⁸ For Yahweh loves justice and will not forsake his faithful ones. They are protected forever. But the children of the wicked will be cut off.

²⁹ The righteous will possess the land and abide in it forever.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

³¹ The law of his God is in his heart. His steps will not slip.

³² The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to kill him.

³³ Yahweh will not abandon him into his hand, and he will not let him be condemned when he is judged.

³⁴ Wait for Yahweh and keep his way, and he will exalt you to possess the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

³⁵ I have seen the wicked acting violently and spreading himself out like a luxuriant native tree.

³⁶ Then he passed on¹ and behold, he was not. And I sought him, but he could not be found.

1. Dead Sea Scrolls and the versions read “I passed by”

³⁷ Observe the blameless and look at the upright, for there is a future for a man of peace.

³⁸ But transgressors shall be destroyed altogether. The future of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹ And¹ the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh, their refuge in the time of trouble.

1. Some manuscripts omit “and,” preserving the acrostic

⁴⁰ And Yahweh helps them and he rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.