New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
1 Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers,
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Don't get upset over evildoers; don't be jealous of those who do wrong,
2 for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
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because they will fade fast, like grass; they will wither like green vegetables.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
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Trust the LORD and do good; live in the land, and farm faithfulness.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
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Enjoy the LORD, and he will give what your heart asks.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
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Commit your way to the LORD! Trust him! He will act
6 He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
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and will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like high noon.
7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.
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Be still before the LORD, and wait for him. Don't get upset when someone gets ahead— someone who invents evil schemes.
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
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Let go of anger and leave rage behind! Don't get upset—it will only lead to evil.
9 For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
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Because evildoers will be eliminated, but those who hope in the LORD— they will possess the land.
10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.
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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 meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
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But the weak will inherit the land; they will enjoy a surplus of peace.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous, and gnash their teeth at them;
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The wicked plot against the righteous, grinding their teeth at them.
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming.
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But my Lord just laughs at them because he knows that their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly;
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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 their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
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But the sword of the wicked will enter their own hearts! Their bows will be broken!
16 Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked.
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Better is the little that the righteous have than the overabundant wealth of the wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
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The arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD supports the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide forever;
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The LORD is intimately acquainted with the lives of the blameless; their heritage will last forever.
19 they are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance.
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They won't be ashamed in troubling times, and in a period of famine they will eat their fill.
20 But the wicked perish, and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
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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 do not pay back, but the righteous are generous and keep giving;
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The wicked borrow and don't pay it back, but the righteous are generous and giving.
22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
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Those blessed by God will possess the land, but those cursed by God will be cut off.
23 Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when he delights in our way;
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A person's steps are made secure by the LORD when they delight in his way.
24 though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.
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Though they trip up, they won't be thrown down, because the LORD holds their hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
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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 ever giving liberally and lending, and their children become a blessing.
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They are always gracious and generous. Their children are a blessing.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; so you shall abide forever.
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Turn away from evil! Do good! Then you will live in the land forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones. The righteous shall be kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
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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 shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.
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The righteous will possess the land; they will live on it forever.
30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak justice.
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The mouths of the righteous recite wisdom; their tongues discuss justice.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their steps do not slip.
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The Instruction of their God is in their hearts; they don't miss a step.
32 The wicked watch for the righteous, and seek to kill them.
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The wicked, on the other hand, target the righteous, seeking to kill them.
33 The Lord will not abandon them to their power, or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.
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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 Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked.
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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 have seen the wicked oppressing, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.
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I myself have seen wicked powerful people, exalting themselves like a stately cedar.
36 Again I passed by, and they were no more; though I sought them, they could not be found.
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But when I came back, they were gone! I looked all over for them, but they couldn't be found!
37 Mark the blameless, and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the peaceable.
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Observe those who have integrity and watch those whose heart is right because the future belongs to persons of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.
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But wrongdoers will be destroyed all together; the future of the wicked will be cut short.
39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their refuge in the time of trouble.
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The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their refuge in times of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
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The LORD will help themand rescue them— rescue them from the wicked—and he will save them because they have taken refuge in him.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible