Delight Yourself in the LORD
(1 Kings 2:1–9)
Of David. 1
Do not fret over those who do evil; Psa 37:7Pro 23:17Pro 24:19Pro 3:31Pro 24:1Psa 73:3Gal 5:21Jas 4:5-6
do not envy those who do wrong.
For they wither quickly like grass Psa 92:7Psa 90:5-6Jas 1:10-11Job 14:2Psa 37:35-36Job 20:5-91Pe 1:24Psa 73:17-20
and wilt like tender plants.
Trust in the LORD and do good; Jer 17:7-8Mat 6:31-33Psa 62:81Co 15:57-58Psa 34:9-10Luk 22:35Psa 4:5Heb 6:10-12
dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD, Jhn 15:7Psa 145:19Jhn 15:16Isa 58:141Jn 5:14-15Psa 21:1-2Job 22:261Pe 1:8
and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD; Pro 16:31Pe 5:7Php 4:6-7Mat 6:25Psa 55:22Jas 4:15Job 22:28Luk 12:29-30
trust in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, Isa 54:17Job 11:17Isa 58:8Mic 7:8-9Mat 13:43Isa 58:10Mal 3:18Psa 31:20
your justice like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD Jas 5:7-11Psa 27:14Psa 62:5Heb 10:36-37Lam 3:25-26Pro 20:22Hab 2:3Jer 12:1
and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men prosper in their ways,
when they carry out wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; Pro 14:29Pro 16:32Jas 1:19-20Eph 4:31Eph 4:26Jas 3:14-18Job 5:2Col 3:8
do not fret—it can only bring harm.
For the evildoers will be cut off, Isa 60:21Psa 25:13Pro 2:21Psa 37:29Isa 57:13Psa 37:11-12Psa 55:23Isa 58:14
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; Job 24:241Pe 4:7Psa 103:16Psa 107:42-43Psa 37:35-36Heb 10:36-37Job 7:10Psa 52:5
though you look for them, they will not be found.
But the meek will inherit the land 2 Mat 5:5Gal 5:22-23Isa 26:3Jas 3:13Psa 119:165Php 4:7Isa 48:181Ti 6:11
and delight in abundant prosperity.
The wicked scheme against the righteous Mic 2:1Psa 35:16Dan 8:12Mat 26:16Psa 31:131Sa 18:211Sa 23:7-92Sa 15:10-12
and gnash their teeth at them,
but the Lord laughs, Psa 2:4Pro 1:261Sa 26:10Dan 5:26Ezk 21:25Ezk 21:29Jer 50:27Job 18:20
seeing that their day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword Pro 29:27Psa 11:21Jn 3:12Pro 29:101Sa 24:111Sa 24:17Act 12:11Act 7:52
and bent the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts, Psa 7:14-15Psa 35:81Sa 31:42Sa 17:23Hos 1:5Hos 2:18Jer 51:56Psa 46:9
and their bows will be broken.
Better is the little of the righteous Pro 16:8Pro 15:16-171Ti 6:6Pro 13:25Ecc 4:6Pro 3:33Ecc 2:26Mat 6:11
than the abundance of many who are wicked.
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, Isa 41:10Psa 63:8Psa 145:14Isa 42:1Psa 37:24Psa 119:116-117Psa 51:12Jud 1:24
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the blameless, Psa 1:6Psa 103:17Rom 6:232Ti 2:191Pe 1:4-5Psa 31:7Psa 49:5Psa 73:24
and their inheritance will last forever.
In the time of evil they will not be ashamed, Pro 10:3Psa 33:19Job 5:20-22Isa 33:16Amo 5:13Eph 5:16Ecc 9:12Mic 2:3
and in the days of famine they will be satisfied.
But the wicked and enemies of the LORD Psa 68:2Psa 102:3Luk 13:3Deu 33:14-16Jdg 5:312Pe 2:12Gen 19:28Lev 3:3-11
will perish like the glory of the fields.
They will vanish;
like smoke they will fade away.
The wicked borrow and do not repay, Heb 13:16Psa 112:5Pro 22:7Luk 6:30Psa 112:9Deu 28:122Co 8:92Co 9:6-15
but the righteous are gracious and giving.
Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, Pro 3:331Co 16:22Gal 3:13Psa 37:9Gal 3:10Job 5:3Mat 25:41Psa 115:15
but the cursed will be destroyed.
The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD Pro 16:9Psa 119:133Pro 4:261Sa 2:9Psa 40:2Psa 121:8Psa 85:13Jer 10:23
who takes delight in his journey.
Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, Pro 24:16Psa 145:14Psa 94:18Mic 7:7-8Jhn 10:27-30Luk 22:31-32Psa 40:2Psa 34:19-20
for the LORD is holding his hand. 3
I once was young and now am old, Heb 13:5Psa 37:28Psa 112:2Psa 25:131Sa 12:222Co 4:9Psa 94:14Psa 71:18
yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned
or their children begging for bread.
They are ever generous and quick to lend, Psa 112:5Psa 37:21Mat 5:7Deu 15:8-10Jer 32:39Luk 6:35-38Pro 20:7Psa 112:9
and their children are a blessing.
Turn away from evil and do good, Psa 34:14Pro 16:61Jn 2:16-171Th 5:15Heb 13:162Ti 2:19Tit 2:11-14Heb 13:21
so that you will abide forever.
For the LORD loves justice Pro 2:22Psa 11:7Psa 21:10Isa 59:211Pe 1:5Isa 14:20-21Isa 61:8Job 27:14
and will not forsake His saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.
The righteous will inherit the land Pro 2:21Psa 37:92Pe 3:13Psa 37:11Psa 37:18Rev 21:7Deu 30:20Rev 21:3-4
and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, Col 4:6Pro 25:11-13Eph 4:29Pro 15:7Mat 12:35Pro 10:31Pro 10:21Psa 71:15
and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; Psa 40:8Deu 6:6Isa 51:7Psa 119:11Jer 31:33Psa 37:23Psa 121:3Deu 11:18-20
his steps do not falter.
Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, Jer 20:10Luk 14:1Luk 19:47-48Luk 20:20Psa 10:8-10Act 9:24Luk 11:54Luk 6:7
and seek to slay them,
the LORD will not leave them in their power Psa 109:312Pe 2:9Rom 8:1Rom 8:33-342Ti 4:17Psa 31:7-8Psa 124:6-71Sa 23:26-28
or let them be condemned under judgment.
Wait for the LORD and keep His way, Psa 27:14Pro 20:22Psa 37:9Mat 24:13Psa 37:7Psa 52:5-6Job 23:10-12Pro 4:25-27
and He will raise you up to inherit the land.
When the wicked are cut off,
you will see it.
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man Job 5:3Job 21:7-17Psa 73:3-11Est 5:11Ezk 31:18Ezk 31:6-10Isa 14:14-19Job 8:13-19
flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,
yet he passed away and was no more; Psa 37:10Act 12:22-23Exo 15:19Isa 10:16-19Isa 10:33-34Exo 15:9-10Job 20:5-29
though I searched, he could not be found.
Consider the blameless and observe the upright, Isa 32:17Isa 57:1-22Ti 4:6-8Act 7:59-60Job 1:1Job 42:12-17Luk 2:25-29Pro 14:32
for posterity awaits the man of peace. 4
But the transgressors will all be destroyed; Pro 14:32Psa 52:52Th 1:8-9Mat 13:49-50Psa 1:4-6Psa 9:17Mat 13:30Mat 25:46
the future of the wicked will be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; Psa 9:9Psa 91:15Isa 12:2Psa 3:82Ti 4:17Psa 46:1Eph 2:8Col 1:11
He is their stronghold in time of trouble.
The LORD helps and delivers them; Isa 31:51Ch 5:20Dan 3:17Dan 6:23Isa 46:4Dan 3:281Jn 5:18Psa 22:4-5
He rescues and saves them from the wicked,
because they take refuge in Him.