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.
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He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
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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.
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And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
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Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
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He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
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If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
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But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
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But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
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They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
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He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
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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.
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But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
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Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
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Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
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Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
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Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
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Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
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Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
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Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
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Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
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Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
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For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
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Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
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Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
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Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
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For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
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With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
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The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
1 [A Psalm of David.] Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
