Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
3
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4
For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6
He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8
And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9
Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10
He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11
If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12
But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13
But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14
They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15
He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
16
Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17
But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18
Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19
Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20
Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21
Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22
Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23
Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24
Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25
Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26
Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27
For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28
Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29
Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30
Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31
For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
32
With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33
The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
1 [To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David.] Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.
9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.
20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.
24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
25 Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
32 The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
34 Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.
36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.
