Psalm 37

THy minde for sinners nor disturb,
Nor evill doers envie:
For they like grass and tender herb
Are soon cut down and die.
Trust in the LORD, and put thy hand
To actions that are good;
So shalt thou dwell within the land,
And be assur'd of food.
Delight in God abundantly,
And he shall condesend
Thy hearts desire to satisfie;
Thy way to God commend.
Trust in him, and it shall be done,
Thy truth shall burnish bright;
Thy judgement as the noon-tide Sun,
Thy righteousness as light.
Rest in the LORD, with patience stay,
Fret not thy self a jot
At him that prospers in his way,
And speeds his wicked plot.
Let not rash anger in thee rise,
Distemp'ring wrath forsake:
Fret not thy self in any wise,
In evill to partake
For evill doers shall be destroy'd
But earth shall sure afford
An heritage by them enjoy'd,
That wait upon the Lord.
For lo, the wicked shall be gone
Within a little space:
Yea, thou shalt study thereupon,
Yet shalt not finde his place.
The lowly shall the earth possess,
And there they shall delight:
And bath themselves in blissfulness
Of peace most infinite.

2. Part.
THe wicked plots against th'upright,
And at him grates his teeth:
But God shall laugh at all his spight
Whose day he coming see'th.
The wicked have their sword and bow
Drawn out and ready bent:
The poor and needies overthrow
Their mischievous intent.
And them that uprightly converse,
To slay with cruell stroke:
But their own hearts their swords shall pierce,
Their bows shall all be broke.
A portion put in godly hands,
Though it be small and poor,
Is better far then house or lands,
Of many a wicked doer.
The wickeds arms shall all be broke,
But God's the just mans stay:
He knowes the days of upright folk,
Their heritage lasts for ay.
They shall not once ashamed be
When evill times betide:
And in the day of scarcitie,
They shall be satisfi'd.
But lo, the wicked shall decay,
As fat of Lambs consume:
Gods enemies shall fade away,
And vanish into fume.
The wicked man on borrowing goes,
But cares not to repay:
But still the righteous mercy showes,
And frankly gives away.
By such as he pronounceth blest,
The earth shall be enjoy'd:
And such as he doth curse supprest,
And utterly destroy'd.

3. Part.
A Good mans steps the Lord doth guide,
Delighting in his way:
He shall not sink, although he slide,
For him Gods hand doth stay.
I have been young, and now am old,
Yet to my hoary head,
The just forsook did ne'r behold,
Nor HIS seed begging bread.
He kindly lends to him that needs,
His seed is surely blest:
Depart from evill, do good deeds,
And ever dwell in rest.
The Lord his Saints will not reject,
For he in Judgement joys:
He will for ever them protect,
But wicked seed destroys.
The righteous shall the earth enjoy,
And therein ever dwell:
Because he doth his mouth imploy
With oracles to tell.
His tongue deep judgement doth impart,
And he doth carefull hide
His Gods commandment in his heart,
None of his steps shall slide.
The wicked wait the just to slay,
But to the hand of them
God will not leave him as a prey,
Nor him (when judg'd) condem'.

4. Part.
WAit on the Lord, and keep his ways,
And thou (rais'd by his hand)
Shalt see when he the wicked slays,
And shalt injoy the land.
The wicked I have seen bear sway,
And spread like Laurell green:
Yet suddenly he past away,
And could no more be seen.
I sought, but him could no where finde,
But he of upright ways
The perfect (if yee mark and mind)
In peace he ends his days.
But them that wilfully offend
Together God shall slay:
And this shall be the wickeds end
To be cut off for ay.
But righteous mens salvation
Of God Almighty is:
In times of tribulation
He is a rock to his.
And sure the Lord will help command
To aid and keep the just:
And save them from the wickeds hand,
Because in him they trust.