Font Size
Psalm 36-41
New International Version
Psalm 36-41
New International Version
Psalm 36[a]
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[b](A)
There is no fear(B) of God
before their eyes.(C)
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.(D)
3 The words of their mouths(E) are wicked and deceitful;(F)
they fail to act wisely(G) or do good.(H)
4 Even on their beds they plot evil;(I)
they commit themselves to a sinful course(J)
and do not reject what is wrong.(K)
5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness(L) to the skies.(M)
6 Your righteousness(N) is like the highest mountains,(O)
your justice like the great deep.(P)
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.(Q)
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!(R)
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.(S)
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;(T)
you give them drink from your river(U) of delights.(V)
9 For with you is the fountain of life;(W)
in your light(X) we see light.
10 Continue your love(Y) to those who know you,(Z)
your righteousness to the upright in heart.(AA)
11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wicked(AB) drive me away.
12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!(AC)
Psalm 37[c]
Of David.
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious(AD) of those who do wrong;(AE)
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,(AF)
like green plants they will soon die away.(AG)
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land(AH) and enjoy safe pasture.(AI)
4 Take delight(AJ) in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.(AK)
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him(AL) and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward(AM) shine like the dawn,(AN)
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still(AO) before the Lord
and wait patiently(AP) for him;
do not fret(AQ) when people succeed in their ways,(AR)
when they carry out their wicked schemes.(AS)
8 Refrain from anger(AT) and turn from wrath;
do not fret(AU)—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,(AV)
but those who hope(AW) in the Lord will inherit the land.(AX)
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;(AY)
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land(AZ)
and enjoy peace and prosperity.(BA)
12 The wicked plot(BB) against the righteous
and gnash their teeth(BC) at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.(BD)
14 The wicked draw the sword(BE)
and bend the bow(BF)
to bring down the poor and needy,(BG)
to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,(BH)
and their bows will be broken.(BI)
16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth(BJ) of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,(BK)
but the Lord upholds(BL) the righteous.
18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,(BM)
and their inheritance will endure forever.(BN)
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish:(BO)
Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.(BP)
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;(BQ)
22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses(BR) will be destroyed.(BS)
23 The Lord makes firm the steps(BT)
of the one who delights(BU) in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,(BV)
for the Lord upholds(BW) him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken(BX)
or their children begging(BY) bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;(BZ)
their children will be a blessing.[d](CA)
27 Turn from evil and do good;(CB)
then you will dwell in the land forever.(CC)
28 For the Lord loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.(CD)
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed[e];
the offspring of the wicked will perish.(CE)
29 The righteous will inherit the land(CF)
and dwell in it forever.(CG)
30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,(CH)
and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts;(CI)
their feet do not slip.(CJ)
32 The wicked lie in wait(CK) for the righteous,(CL)
intent on putting them to death;
33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned(CM) when brought to trial.(CN)
34 Hope in the Lord(CO)
and keep his way.(CP)
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed,(CQ) you will see(CR) it.
35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing(CS) like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.(CT)
37 Consider the blameless,(CU) observe the upright;(CV)
a future awaits those who seek peace.[f](CW)
38 But all sinners(CX) will be destroyed;(CY)
there will be no future[g] for the wicked.(CZ)
39 The salvation(DA) of the righteous comes from the Lord;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.(DB)
40 The Lord helps(DC) them and delivers(DD) them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves(DE) them,
because they take refuge(DF) in him.
Psalm 38[h]
A psalm of David. A petition.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.(DG)
2 Your arrows(DH) have pierced me,
and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health(DI) in my body;
there is no soundness in my bones(DJ) because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed(DK) me
like a burden too heavy to bear.(DL)
5 My wounds(DM) fester and are loathsome(DN)
because of my sinful folly.(DO)
6 I am bowed down(DP) and brought very low;
all day long I go about mourning.(DQ)
7 My back is filled with searing pain;(DR)
there is no health(DS) in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed;(DT)
I groan(DU) in anguish of heart.(DV)
9 All my longings(DW) lie open before you, Lord;
my sighing(DX) is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds,(DY) my strength fails(DZ) me;
even the light has gone from my eyes.(EA)
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;(EB)
my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who want to kill me set their traps,(EC)
those who would harm me talk of my ruin;(ED)
all day long they scheme and lie.(EE)
13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,(EF)
like the mute, who cannot speak;
14 I have become like one who does not hear,
whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 Lord, I wait(EG) for you;
you will answer,(EH) Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat(EI)
or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”(EJ)
17 For I am about to fall,(EK)
and my pain(EL) is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;(EM)
I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many have become my enemies(EN) without cause[i];
those who hate me(EO) without reason(EP) are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil(EQ)
lodge accusations(ER) against me,
though I seek only to do what is good.
21 Lord, do not forsake me;(ES)
do not be far(ET) from me, my God.
22 Come quickly(EU) to help me,(EV)
my Lord and my Savior.(EW)
Psalm 39[j]
For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.
1 I said, “I will watch my ways(EX)
and keep my tongue from sin;(EY)
I will put a muzzle on my mouth(EZ)
while in the presence of the wicked.”
2 So I remained utterly silent,(FA)
not even saying anything good.
But my anguish(FB) increased;
3 my heart grew hot(FC) within me.
While I meditated,(FD) the fire(FE) burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end
and the number of my days;(FF)
let me know how fleeting(FG) my life is.(FH)
5 You have made my days(FI) a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,(FJ)
even those who seem secure.[k]
6 “Surely everyone goes around(FK) like a mere phantom;(FL)
in vain they rush about,(FM) heaping up wealth(FN)
without knowing whose it will finally be.(FO)
7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.(FP)
8 Save me(FQ) from all my transgressions;(FR)
do not make me the scorn(FS) of fools.
9 I was silent;(FT) I would not open my mouth,(FU)
for you are the one who has done this.(FV)
10 Remove your scourge from me;
I am overcome by the blow(FW) of your hand.(FX)
11 When you rebuke(FY) and discipline(FZ) anyone for their sin,
you consume(GA) their wealth like a moth(GB)—
surely everyone is but a breath.(GC)
12 “Hear my prayer, Lord,
listen to my cry for help;(GD)
do not be deaf(GE) to my weeping.(GF)
I dwell with you as a foreigner,(GG)
a stranger,(GH) as all my ancestors were.(GI)
13 Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
before I depart and am no more.”(GJ)
Psalm 40[l](GK)
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 I waited patiently(GL) for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.(GM)
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,(GN)
out of the mud(GO) and mire;(GP)
he set my feet(GQ) on a rock(GR)
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song(GS) in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord(GT)
and put their trust(GU) in him.
4 Blessed is the one(GV)
who trusts in the Lord,(GW)
who does not look to the proud,(GX)
to those who turn aside to false gods.[m](GY)
5 Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders(GZ) you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare(HA) with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many(HB) to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—(HC)
but my ears you have opened[n]—(HD)
burnt offerings(HE) and sin offerings[o] you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.[p](HF)
8 I desire to do your will,(HG) my God;(HH)
your law is within my heart.”(HI)
9 I proclaim your saving acts(HJ) in the great assembly;(HK)
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.(HL)
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness(HM) and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.(HN)
11 Do not withhold your mercy(HO) from me, Lord;
may your love(HP) and faithfulness(HQ) always protect(HR) me.
12 For troubles(HS) without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.(HT)
They are more than the hairs of my head,(HU)
and my heart fails(HV) within me.
13 Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.(HW)
14 May all who want to take my life(HX)
be put to shame and confusion;(HY)
may all who desire my ruin(HZ)
be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”(IA)
be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you(IB)
rejoice and be glad(IC) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”(ID)
17 But as for me, I am poor and needy;(IE)
may the Lord think(IF) of me.
You are my help(IG) and my deliverer;(IH)
you are my God, do not delay.(II)
Psalm 41[q]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Blessed(IJ) are those who have regard for the weak;(IK)
the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.(IL)
2 The Lord protects(IM) and preserves them—(IN)
they are counted among the blessed in the land—(IO)
he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.(IP)
3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed(IQ)
and restores them from their bed of illness.(IR)
4 I said, “Have mercy(IS) on me, Lord;
heal(IT) me, for I have sinned(IU) against you.”
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
“When will he die and his name perish?(IV)”
6 When one of them comes to see me,
he speaks falsely,(IW) while his heart gathers slander;(IX)
then he goes out and spreads(IY) it around.
7 All my enemies whisper together(IZ) against me;
they imagine the worst for me, saying,
8 “A vile disease has afflicted him;
he will never get up(JA) from the place where he lies.”
9 Even my close friend,(JB)
someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
has turned[r] against me.(JC)
Footnotes
- Psalm 36:1 In Hebrew texts 36:1-12 is numbered 36:2-13.
- Psalm 36:1 Or A message from God: The transgression of the wicked / resides in their hearts.
- Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 37:26 Or freely; / the names of their children will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or freely; / others will see that their children are blessed
- Psalm 37:28 See Septuagint; Hebrew They will be protected forever
- Psalm 37:37 Or upright; / those who seek peace will have posterity
- Psalm 37:38 Or posterity
- Psalm 38:1 In Hebrew texts 38:1-22 is numbered 38:2-23.
- Psalm 38:19 One Dead Sea Scrolls manuscript; Masoretic Text my vigorous enemies
- Psalm 39:1 In Hebrew texts 39:1-13 is numbered 39:2-14.
- Psalm 39:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 11.
- Psalm 40:1 In Hebrew texts 40:1-17 is numbered 40:2-18.
- Psalm 40:4 Or to lies
- Psalm 40:6 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts but a body you have prepared for me
- Psalm 40:6 Or purification offerings
- Psalm 40:7 Or come / with the scroll written for me
- Psalm 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-13 is numbered 41:2-14.
- Psalm 41:9 Hebrew has lifted up his heel
Psalm 36-41
King James Version
Psalm 36-41
King James Version
36 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
5 Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.
37 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.
18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
38 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.
6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.
13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.
17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.
22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
39 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.
3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue,
4 Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am.
5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.
10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.
11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.
12 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.
40 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me.
14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.
17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
41 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
2 The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.
8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
10 But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
Psalm 36-41
New King James Version
Psalm 36-41
New King James Version
Man’s Wickedness and God’s Perfections
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.
36 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked:
(A)There is no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes,
When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates.
3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit;
(B)He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 (C)He devises wickedness on his bed;
He sets himself (D)in a way that is not good;
He does not [a]abhor (E)evil.
5 Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the [b]great mountains;
(F)Your judgments are a great deep;
O Lord, You preserve man and beast.
7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men (G)put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
8 (H)They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from (I)the river of Your pleasures.
9 (J)For with You is the fountain of life;
(K)In Your light we see light.
10 Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11 Let not the foot of pride come against me,
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the workers of iniquity have fallen;
They have been cast down and are not able to rise.
The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked
A Psalm of David.
37 Do(L) not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down (M)like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4 (N)Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your (O)heart.
5 (P)Commit[c] your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6 (Q)He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, (R)and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who (S)prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
8 (T)Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
(U)Do not fret—it only causes harm.
9 For evildoers shall be [d]cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall (V)inherit the earth.
10 For (W)yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, (X)you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11 (Y)But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plots against the just,
(Z)And gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 (AA)The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees that (AB)his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword
And have bent their bow,
To cast down the poor and needy,
To slay those who are of upright conduct.
15 Their sword shall enter their own heart,
And their bows shall be broken.
16 (AC)A little that a righteous man has
Is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But (AD)the righteous shows mercy and gives.
22 (AE)For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
But those cursed by Him shall be [e]cut off.
23 (AF)The steps of a good man are [f]ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
24 (AG)Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 (AH)He is [g]ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
28 For the Lord loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 (AI)The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.
30 (AJ)The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
None of his steps shall [h]slide.
32 The wicked (AK)watches the righteous,
And seeks to slay him.
33 The Lord (AL)will not leave him in his hand,
Nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 (AM)Wait on the Lord,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree.
36 Yet [i]he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
For the future of that man is peace.
38 (AN)But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength (AO)in the time of trouble.
40 And (AP)the Lord shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
(AQ)Because they trust in Him.
Prayer in Time of Chastening
A Psalm of David. (AR)To bring to remembrance.
38 O Lord, do not (AS)rebuke me in Your wrath,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
2 For Your arrows pierce me deeply,
And Your hand presses me down.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Nor any health in my bones
Because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.
6 I am [j]troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are full of inflammation,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart pants, my strength fails me;
As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friends (AT)stand aloof from my plague,
And my relatives stand afar off.
12 Those also who seek my life lay snares for me;
Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction,
And plan deception all the day long.
13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.
14 Thus I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth is no response.
15 For [k]in You, O Lord, (AU)I hope;
You will [l]hear, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, “Hear me, lest they rejoice over me,
Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.”
17 (AV)For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will (AW)declare my iniquity;
I will be (AX)in [m]anguish over my sin.
19 But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong;
And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.
20 Those also (AY)who render evil for good,
They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, (AZ)be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!
Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness
To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
39 I said, “I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my (BA)tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
2 (BB)I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
3 My heart was hot within me;
While I was [n]musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, (BC)make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but (BD)vapor. Selah
6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they [o]busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.
7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My (BE)hope is in You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me (BF)the reproach of the foolish.
9 (BG)I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was (BH)You who did it.
10 (BI)Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty (BJ)melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah
12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, (BK)as all my fathers were.
13 (BL)Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
Before I go away and (BM)am no more.”
Faith Persevering in Trial(BN)
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
40 I (BO)waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of (BP)the miry clay,
And (BQ)set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
3 (BR)He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.
4 (BS)Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 (BT)Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
(BU)And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.
6 (BV)Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 (BW)I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is (BX)within my heart.”
9 (BY)I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, (BZ)I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 (CA)I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.
11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;
(CB)Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me;
(CC)My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.
13 (CD)Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 (CE)Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who seek to destroy my [p]life;
Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
Who wish me evil.
15 Let them be (CF)confounded because of their shame,
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
16 (CG)Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation (CH)say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17 (CI)But I am poor and needy;
(CJ)Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.
The Blessing and Suffering of the Godly
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
41 Blessed is he who considers the [q]poor;
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive,
And he will be blessed on the earth;
(CK)You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness;
You will [r]sustain him on his sickbed.
4 I said, “Lord, be merciful to me;
(CL)Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
5 My enemies speak evil of me:
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And if he comes to see me, he speaks [s]lies;
His heart gathers iniquity to itself;
When he goes out, he tells it.
7 All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they [t]devise my hurt.
8 “An[u] evil disease,” they say, “clings to him.
And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.”
9 (CM)Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,
(CN)Who ate my bread,
Has [v]lifted up his heel against me.
10 But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up,
That I may repay them.
11 By this I know that You are well pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And (CO)set me before Your face forever.
13 (CP)Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.
Footnotes
- Psalm 36:4 reject, loathe
- Psalm 36:6 Lit. mountains of God
- Psalm 37:5 Lit. Roll off onto
- Psalm 37:9 destroyed
- Psalm 37:22 destroyed
- Psalm 37:23 established
- Psalm 37:26 Lit. all the day
- Psalm 37:31 slip
- Psalm 37:36 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Syr., Vg. I passed by
- Psalm 38:6 Lit. bent down
- Psalm 38:15 I wait for You, O Lord
- Psalm 38:15 answer
- Psalm 38:18 anxiety
- Psalm 39:3 meditating
- Psalm 39:6 make an uproar for nothing
- Psalm 40:14 Lit. soul
- Psalm 41:1 helpless or powerless
- Psalm 41:3 restore
- Psalm 41:6 empty words
- Psalm 41:7 plot
- Psalm 41:8 Lit. A thing of Belial
- Psalm 41:9 Acted as a traitor
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.