Psalm 37

FRet not thy self at wicked men,
when great in power they bee,
Nor be thou envious at those
that work iniquitie.
For like the grasse that is cut down,
so shall their state decay,
And as the green herb from the earth,
shall wither quite away.

Trust thou on God the Lord alone,
to do good take good heed;
Abide thou in the promised land,
and by faith live and feed.
And in the Lord delight thy self,
love him with all thine heart,
What ere thy soul shall then desire,
he will to thee impart.

Commit thy way unto the Lord,
by faith on him depend,
And he shall bring thine enterprise
to a desired end.
Then shall he shew thy righteousnesse
clear like the shining light,
The judgment which approves thy cause
as noon day shall be bright.

In silence rest on God, for him
wait patiently and stay,
Fret not thy self, because of him
that prospers in his way,
Because of any man that brings
his wicked works to passe.
Cease anger, wrath forbear, fret not
thy self in any case,

To do ill; for ill doers shall
be quite cut off, but all
That patiently wait on the Lord
the earth inherit shall.
The wicked after a short time,
shall not be any more,
Thou shalt not finde him in his place,
where he remain'd before,

But meek and humble men the earth
shall quietly possesse,
And shall delight themselves in store
of peace and plenteousnesse.

The Second part.

The wicked doth against the just
his crafty plots devise,
He gnasheth in despight at him,
his teeth in furious wise:
But all the while the patient Lord
laughs at him scornfully,
Because he sees his woful day
comes on him suddenly.

The wicked have drawn out their sword,
and they have bent their bow,
The man that is upright to kill,
and poor to overthrow.
But their sword into their own hearts
shall enter suddenly,
Their bow which they have bended shall
in pieces broken lie.

A little that a righteous man
enjoyes, is better farre,
Then unto many wicked men
their stores of riches are.
Of wicked and ungodly men,
the Lord shall break the arms,
But shall the just and righteous men
deliver from all harms.

The days and states of righteous men
God doth regard and see,
And their possession in the Land
shall everlasting bee.
In evil times he shall not be
asham'd or terrifi'd,
When some in times of famine starve,
he shall be satisfi'd.

The wicked, and Gods enemies all
shall utterly decay,
They shall consume like fat of lambs,
and as smoak passe away.
The wicked borrows at his need,
but never cares to pay.
Whereas the righteous mercy shews,
and freely gives away.

For such as God the Lord shall blesse,
inherit shall the land,
But those that he doth curse shall be
cut off by his own hand.

The Third Part.

A good mans steps are by the Lord
well ordered, and set right,
For in the ways of righteous men
he greatly doth delight.
And though he fall, yet shall he not
be cast down utterly,
Because the Lord with his right hand
upholds him carefully.

I have been young, and now am old,
just men nor yet their seed
I never yet forsaken saw,
nor forc'd to beg for need:
But he is ever merciful,
and lends to such as need,
And doth behind him blessings leave
unto his godly seed.

Wherefore from evil far depart,
do good, and then be sure
Of such a dwelling and estate,
as ever shall endure.
For God loves judgement, and his Saints
forsakes not utterly,
But saves them still, and will cut off
sinners posterity.

Such as are just and righteous, shall
possesse the promis'd land,
And there a sure estate shall have,
which shall for ever stand.
Season'd with wisdome always is
a just mans savoury speech,
Rules of judgement and holinesse,
his tongue doth daily teach.

The Law of God within his heart
is hidden carefully,
That mans estate shall never fail
nor his steps slip awry.

The Fourth Part.

The wicked for the righteous man
doth watch as for his prey,
And in his cruel hatred him
deviseth how to slay.
But the good Lord will never leave
the just man in his hands,
The righteous he will not condemn,
when he in judgement stands.

Wait thou on God, and keep his way,
thou shalt exalted bee,
The land t' inherit, and the fall
of wicked shalt thou see.
The wicked very great in pow'r,
flourishing I have seen,
I saw him spreading out himself,
like to a lawrel green.

Yet suddenly he past away,
and could no more be seen,
I sought him narrowly, but could
not finde where he had been.
Observe and mark the perfect man,
the righteous man behold,
For that mans days will end in peace,
and blessings manifold.

But the transgressors all of them
shall be destroy'd together,
This is the end of wicked men
to be cut off for ever,
But the salvation of the just
is from the Lord alway,
In time of trouble and distresse,
he is their strength and stay.

God shall them keep, and set them free
from ill men and uniust,
The righteous he shall surely save,
because in him they trust.