Psalms 36; Psalms 37; Psalms 38; Psalms 39

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Psalms 36

1 I know the sinful utterance of the wicked: No fear of God confronts their own eyes,

2 because in their own eyes they are slick with talk about their guilt ever being found out and despised.

3 The words of their mouths are evil and dishonest. They have stopped being wise and stopped doing good.

4 They plot evil even while resting in bed! They commit themselves to a path that is no good. They don't reject what is evil.

5 But your loyal love, LORD, extends to the skies; your faithfulness reaches the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the strongest mountains; your justice is like the deepest sea. LORD, you save both humans and animals.

7 Your faithful love is priceless, God! Humanity finds refuge in the shadow of your wings.

8 They feast on the bounty of your house; you let them drink from your river of pure joy.

9 Within you is the spring of life. In your light, we see light.

10 Extend your faithful love to those who know you; extend your righteousness to those whose heart is right.

11 Don't let the feet of arrogant people walk all over me; don't let the hands of the wicked drive me off.

12 Look—right there is where the evildoers have fallen, pushed down, unable to get up!

Psalms 37

1 Don't get upset over evildoers; don't be jealous of those who do wrong,

2 because they will fade fast, like grass; they will wither like green vegetables.

3 Trust the LORD and do good; live in the land, and farm faithfulness.

4 Enjoy the LORD, and he will give what your heart asks.

5 Commit your way to the LORD! Trust him! He will act

6 and will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like high noon.

7 Be still before the LORD, and wait for him. Don't get upset when someone gets ahead— someone who invents evil schemes.

8 Let go of anger and leave rage behind! Don't get upset—it will only lead to evil.

9 Because evildoers will be eliminated, but those who hope in the LORD— they will possess the land.

10 In just a little while the wicked won't exist! If you go looking around their place, they won't be there.

11 But the weak will inherit the land; they will enjoy a surplus of peace.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous, grinding their teeth at them.

13 But my Lord just laughs at them because he knows that their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to bring down the weak and the needy, to slaughter those whose way is right.

15 But the sword of the wicked will enter their own hearts! Their bows will be broken!

16 Better is the little that the righteous have than the overabundant wealth of the wicked.

17 The arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD supports the righteous.

18 The LORD is intimately acquainted with the lives of the blameless; their heritage will last forever.

19 They won't be ashamed in troubling times, and in a period of famine they will eat their fill.

20 But the wicked will die, the LORD's enemies will disappear— disappear like the beauty of a meadow—in smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and don't pay it back, but the righteous are generous and giving.

22 Those blessed by God will possess the land, but those cursed by God will be cut off.

23 A person's steps are made secure by the LORD when they delight in his way.

24 Though they trip up, they won't be thrown down, because the LORD holds their hand.

25 I was young and now I'm old, but I have never seen the righteous left all alone, have never seen their children begging for bread.

26 They are always gracious and generous. Their children are a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil! Do good! Then you will live in the land forever.

28 The LORD loves justice. He will never leave his faithful all alone. They are guarded forever, but the children of the wicked are eliminated.

29 The righteous will possess the land; they will live on it forever.

30 The mouths of the righteous recite wisdom; their tongues discuss justice.

31 The Instruction of their God is in their hearts; they don't miss a step.

32 The wicked, on the other hand, target the righteous, seeking to kill them.

33 But the LORD won't leave the righteous to the power of the wicked, and won't let the righteous be found guilty when they are judged.

34 Hope in the LORD and keep his way! He will lift you up so you can possess the land. When the wicked are eliminated, you will see it for yourself!

35 I myself have seen wicked powerful people, exalting themselves like a stately cedar.

36 But when I came back, they were gone! I looked all over for them, but they couldn't be found!

37 Observe those who have integrity and watch those whose heart is right because the future belongs to persons of peace.

38 But wrongdoers will be destroyed all together; the future of the wicked will be cut short.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their refuge in times of trouble.

40 The LORD will help themand rescue them— rescue them from the wicked—and he will save them because they have taken refuge in him.

Psalms 38

1 Please, LORD, don't punish me when you are mad; don't discipline me when you are furious.

2 Your arrows have pierced me; your fist has come down hard on me.

3 There's nothing in my body that isn't broken because of your rage; there's no health in my bones because of my sin.

4 My wrongdoings are stacked higher than my head; they are a weight that's way too heavy for me.

5 My wounds reek; they are all infected because of my stupidity.

6 I am hunched over, completely down; I wander around all day long, sad.

7 My insides are burning up; there's nothing in my body that isn't broken.

8 I'm worn out, completely crushed; I groan because of my miserable heart.

9 Everything I long for is laid out before you, my Lord; my sighs aren't hidden from you.

10 My heart pounds; my strength abandons me. Even the light of my eyes is gone.

11 My loved ones and friends keep their distance from me in my sickness; those who were near me now stay far away.

12 Those who want me dead lay traps; those who want me harmed utter threats, muttering lies all day long.

13 But I'm like someone who is deaf, who can't hear; like someone who can't speak, whose mouth won't open.

14 I've become like a person who doesn't hear what is being said, whose mouth has no good comeback.

15 But I wait for you, LORD! You will answer, my Lord, my God!

16 Because I prayed: "Don't let them celebrate over me or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips,"

17 because I'm very close to falling, and my pain is always with me.

18 Yes, I confess my wrongdoing; I'm worried about my sin.

19 But my mortal enemies are so strong; those who hate me for no reason seem countless.

20 Those who give, repay good with evil; they oppose me for pursuing good.

21 Don't leave me all alone, LORD! Please, my God, don't be far from me!

22 Come quickly and help me, my Lord, my salvation!

Psalms 39

1 I promised I would watch my steps so as not to sin with my tongue; promised to keep my mouth shut as long as the wicked were in my presence.

2 So I was completely quiet, silent. I kept my peace, but it did no good. My pain got worse.

3 My heart got hot inside me; while stewing over it, the fire burned. Then I spoke out with my tongue:

4 "Let me know my end, LORD. How many days do I have left? I want to know how brief my time is."

5 You've made my days so short; my lifetime is like nothing in your eyes. Yes, a human life is nothing but a puff of air! Selah

6 Yes, people wander around like shadows; yes, they hustle and bustle, but pointlessly; they don't even know who will get the wealth they've amassed.

7 So now, Lord, what should I be waiting for? My hope is set on you.

8 Deliver me from all my sins; don't make me some foolish person's joke.

9 I am completely silent; I won't open my mouth because you have acted.

10 Get this plague of yours off me! I'm being destroyed by the blows from your fist.

11 You discipline people for their sin, punishing them; like a moth, you ruin what they treasure. Yes, a human life is just a puff of air! Selah

12 Hear my prayer, LORD! Listen closely to my cry for help! Please don't ignore my tears! I'm just a foreigner— an immigrant staying with you, just like all my ancestors were.

13 Look away from me so I can be happy again before I pass away and am gone.