Psalm 37

Psalm 37 (NET) reads:

By David.

Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed!
Do not envy evildoers!

2 For they will quickly dry up like grass,
and wither away like plants.

3 Trust in the LORD and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity!

4 Then you will take delight in the LORD,
and he will answer your prayers.

5 Commit your future to the LORD!
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.

6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause.

7 Wait 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!

8 Do not be angry and frustrated!
Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!

9 Wicked men will be wiped out,
but those who rely on the LORD are the ones who will possess the land.

10 Evil men will soon disappear;
you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.

11 But the oppressed will possess the land
and enjoy great prosperity.

12 Evil men plot against the godly
and viciously attack them.

13 The sovereign Master laughs in disgust at them,
for he knows that their day is coming.

14 Evil men draw their swords
and prepare their bows,
to bring down the oppressed and needy,
and to slaughter those who are godly.

15 Their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better
than the wealth of many evil men,
17 for evil men will lose their power,
but the LORD sustains the godly.

18 The LORD watches over the innocent day by day
and they possess a permanent inheritance.

19 They will not be ashamed when hard times come;
when famine comes they will have enough to eat.

20 But evil men will die;
the LORD's enemies will be incinerated--
they will go up in smoke.

21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,
but the godly show compassion and are generous.

22 Surely those favored by the LORD will possess the land,
but those rejected by him will be wiped out.

23 The LORD grants success to the one
whose behavior he finds commendable.

24 Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong,
for the LORD holds his hand.

25 I was once young, now I am old.
I have never seen a godly man abandoned,
or his children forced to search for food.

26 All day long he shows compassion and lends to others,
and his children are blessed.

27 Turn away from evil! Do what is right!
Then you will enjoy lasting security.

28 For the LORD promotes justice,
and never abandons his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure,
but the children of evil men are wiped out.

29 The godly will possess the land
and will dwell in it permanently.

30 The godly speak wise words
and promote justice.

31 The law of their God controls their thinking;
their feet do not slip.

32 Evil men set an ambush for the godly
and try to kill them.

33 But the LORD does not surrender the godly,
or allow them to be condemned in a court of law.

34 Rely on the LORD! Obey his commands!
Then he will permit you to possess the land;
you will see the demise of evil men.

35 I have seen ruthless evil men
growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil.

36 But then one passes by, and suddenly they have disappeared!
I looked for them, but they could not be found.

37 Take note of the one who has integrity!
Observe the godly!
For the one who promotes peace has a future.

38 Sinful rebels are totally destroyed;
evil men have no future.

39 But the LORD delivers the godly;
he protects them in times of trouble.

40 The LORD helps them and rescues them;
he rescues them from evil men and delivers them,
for they seek his protection.

Psalm 37 is another contrast between the life of the godly man, which is preserved by YHWH, and the life of the wicked man, which is cut short. I love the imagery of the first two verses, "Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers! For they will quickly dry up like grass, and wither away like plants." I have pretty mcuh been listening to Son Lux's album, At War with Walls and Mazes non-stop since I got it, preferring it even over U2's new one. The words of this psalm bring to mind the words of my favorite song on the album, "Wither":

They will wither away.

You don't have to be afraid.
Like the grass beneath your feet.
You don't have to be afraid.
They will wither away.
(repeat)

The ones who try and kill you
The one who tries to save youIs bigger.

You can hear the song in all its glory here.