Love Of Psalms 1 (Psalms 1 , 37 , 41)

Psalm 1

1  Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers.

2  But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants;day and night they think about his law.

3  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail. Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.

4  But this is not true of the wicked. They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.

5  They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly.

6  For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 37 A psalm of David

1  Don’t worry about the wicked. Don’t envy those who do wrong.

2  For like grass, they soon fade away. Like springtime flowers, they soon wither.

3  Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

4  Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

5  Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.

6  He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

7  Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

8  Stop your anger! Turn from your rage! Do not envy others— it only leads to harm.

9  For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

10  In a little while, the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.

11  Those who are gentle and lowly will possess the land; they will live in prosperous security.

12  The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.

13  But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.

14  The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.

15  But they will be stabbed through the heart with their own swords, and their bows will be broken.

16  It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and possess much.

17  For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the Lord takes care of the godly.

18  Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive a reward that lasts forever.

19  They will survive through hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.

20  But the wicked will perish. The Lord’s enemies are like flowers in a field—they will disappear like smoke.

21  The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.

22  Those blessed by the Lord will inherit the land, but those cursed by him will die.

23  The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives.

24  Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

25  Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly forsaken, nor seen their children begging for bread.

26  The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.

27  Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever.

28  For the Lord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will perish.

29  The godly will inherit the land and will live there forever.

30  The godly offer good counsel; they know what is right from wrong.

31  They fill their hearts with God’s law, so they will never slip from his path.

32  Those who are evil spy on the godly, waiting for an excuse to kill them.

33  But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed or let the godly be condemned when they are brought before the judge.

34  Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you, giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.

35  I myself have seen it happen—proud and evil people thriving like mighty trees.

36  But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!

37  Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future lies before those who love peace.

38  But the wicked will be destroyed; they have no future.

39  The Lord saves the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble.

40  The Lord helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him.

Psalm 41
For the choir director: A psalm of David

1  Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor. The Lord rescues them in times of trouble.

2  The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity and rescues them from their enemies.

3  The Lord nurses them when they are sick and eases their pain and discomfort.

4  “O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

5  But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask.

6  They visit me as if they are my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.

7  All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst for me.

8  “Whatever he has, it is fatal,” they say.” He will never get out of that bed!”

9  Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.

10  Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back!

11  I know that you are pleased with me, for you have not let my enemy triumph over me.

12  You have preserved my life because I am innocent; you have brought me into your presence forever.

13  Bless the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives forever from eternal ages past.
Amen and Amen!