Delight Yourself in the LORD
(1 Kings 2:1–9)

1A Psalm of David himself. Do not choose to imitate the malicious; neither should you envy those who work iniquity.

2For they will quickly wither away like dry grass, and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop.

3Hope in the Lord and do good, and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches.

4Delight in the Lord, and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart.

5Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will accomplish it.

6And he will bring forth your justice like the light, and your judgment like the midday.

7Be subject to the Lord and pray to him. Do not choose to compete with him who prospers in his way, with the man who does injustice.

8Cease from wrath and leave behind rage. Do not choose to imitate the malicious.

9For those who are malicious will be exterminated. But those who remain with the Lord, these will inherit the land.

10Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be. And you will search his place and find nothing.

11But the meek shall inherit the earth, and they will delight in the multitude of peace.

12The sinner will observe the just, and he will gnash his teeth over him.

13But the Lord will laugh at him: for he knows in advance that his day will come.

14The sinners have drawn the sword, they have bent their bow, so as to cast down the poor and the needy, so as to massacre the upright of heart.

15Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

16A little is better to the just than the many riches of sinners.

17For the arms of sinners will be crushed, but the Lord confirms the just.

18The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, and their inheritance will be in eternity.

19They will not be confounded in an evil time; and in days of famine, they will be satisfied:

20for sinners will perish. Truly, the adversaries of the Lord, soon after they have been honored and exalted, will fade away, in the same way that smoke fades away.

21The sinner will lend and not release, but the just one shows compassion and donates.

22For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will perish.

23The steps of a man will be directed by the Lord, and he will choose his way.

24When he falls, he will not be harmed, because the Lord places his hand under him.

25I have been young, and now I am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his offspring seeking bread.

26He shows compassion and lends, all day long, and his offspring will be in blessing.

27Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell forever and ever.

28For the Lord loves judgment, and he will not abandon his saints. They will be kept safe in eternity. The unjust will be punished, and the offspring of the impious will perish.

29But the just will inherit the earth, and they will dwell upon it forever and ever.

30The mouth of the just one will express wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment.

31The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.

32The sinner considers the just one and seeks to put him to death.

33But the Lord will not abandon him into his hands, nor condemn him, when he will be judged.

34Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way. And he will exalt you, so as to inherit the land that you may seize. When the sinners will have passed away, then you shall see.

35I have seen the impious over-exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon.

36And I passed by, and behold, he was not. And I sought him, and his place was not found.

37Keep to innocence, and gaze upon fairness: because there are allotments for the peaceful man.

38But the unjust will be destroyed together: the allotments of the impious will pass away.

39But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in time of tribulation.

40And the Lord will help them and free them. And he will rescue them from sinners and save them, because they have hoped in him.