Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
Parallel translations
- WEB By David. Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.
- BSB Of David. Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong.
- NKJV Donot fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
- NASB Do not get upset because of evildoers, Do not be envious of wrongdoers.
- NLT Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David urges believers not to fret or envy evildoers who seem to prosper. Their success is temporary and not worth our anxiety.
Overview
This wisdom psalm opens by addressing a common temptation: agitation and envy when the wicked thrive. David counsels calm trust rather than corrosive resentment. The instruction not to fret runs through the psalm and is echoed by Jesus' call not to be anxious but to seek first God's kingdom (Matthew 6:33), resting in the Father's care.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ps 37:7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
- Prov 23:17Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
- Prov 24:19Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
- Prov 3:31Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
- Prov 24:1Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
- Ps 73:3For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Gal 5:21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Jas 4:5–6Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
- 1 Sam 1:6–8And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
- Prov 19:3The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 37:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.