Psalms 37:9-22

37:9 Wicked men will be wiped out,

but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.

37:10 Evil men will soon disappear;

you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.

37:11 But the oppressed will possess the land

and enjoy great prosperity.

37:12 Evil men plot against the godly

and viciously attack them.

37:13 The Lord laughs in disgust at them,

for he knows that their day is coming.

37:14 Evil men draw their swords

and prepare their bows,

to bring down the oppressed and needy,

and to slaughter those who are godly.

37:15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts,

and their bows will be broken.

37:16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better than

the wealth of many evil men,

37:17 for evil men will lose their power,

but the Lord sustains the godly.

37:18 The Lord watches over the innocent day by day

and they possess a permanent inheritance.

37:19 They will not be ashamed when hard times come;

when famine comes they will have enough to eat.

37:20 But evil men will die;

the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated –

they will go up in smoke.

37:21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,

but the godly show compassion and are generous.

37:22 Surely those favored by the Lord will possess the land,

but those rejected by him will be wiped out.