The Steadfast Love of God

361 To the Overseer.—By a servant of Jehovah, by David. The transgression of the wicked Is affirming within my heart, 'Fear of God is not before his eyes, 2 For he made 'it' smooth to himself in his eyes, To find his iniquity to be hated. 3 The words of his mouth 'are' iniquity and deceit, He ceased to act prudently—to do good. 4 Iniquity he deviseth on his bed, He stationeth himself on a way not good, Evil he doth not refuse.'

5 O Jehovah, in the heavens 'is' Thy kindness, Thy faithfulness 'is' unto the clouds. 6 Thy righteousness 'is' as mountains of God, Thy judgments 'are' a great deep. Man and beast Thou savest, O Jehovah. 7 How precious 'is' Thy kindness, O God, And the sons of men In the shadow of Thy wings do trust. 8 They are filled from the fatness of Thy house, And the stream of Thy delights Thou dost cause them to drink. 9 For with Thee 'is' a fountain of life, In Thy light we see light. 10 Draw out Thy kindness to those knowing Thee, And Thy righteousness to the upright of heart. 11 Let not a foot of pride meet me, And a hand of the wicked let not move me. 12 There have workers of iniquity fallen, They have been overthrown, And have not been able to arise!

The Insecurity of the Wicked

371 By David. Do not fret because of evil doers, Be not envious against doers of iniquity, 2 For as grass speedily they are cut off, And as the greenness of the tender grass do fade. 3 Trust in Jehovah, and do good, Dwell 'in' the land, and enjoy faithfulness, 4 And delight thyself on Jehovah, And He giveth to thee the petitions of thy heart. 5 Roll on Jehovah thy way, And trust upon Him, and He worketh, 6 And hath brought out as light thy righteousness, And thy judgment as noon-day.

7 Be silent for Jehovah, and stay thyself for Him, Do not fret because of him Who is making prosperous his way, Because of a man doing wicked devices. 8 Desist from anger, and forsake fury, Fret not thyself only to do evil. 9 For evil doers are cut off, As to those waiting on Jehovah, they possess the land. 10 And yet a little, and the wicked is not, And thou hast considered his place, and it is not. 11 And the humble do possess the land, And they have delighted themselves In the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked is devising against the righteous, And gnashing against him his teeth. 13 The Lord doth laugh at him, For He hath seen that his day cometh. 14 A sword have the wicked opened, And they have trodden their bow, To cause to fall the poor and needy, To slaughter the upright of the way. 15 Their sword doth enter into their own heart, And their bows are shivered. 16 Better 'is' the little of the righteous, Than the store of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked are shivered, And Jehovah is sustaining the righteous. 18 Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect, And their inheritance is—to the age. 19 They are not ashamed in a time of evil, And in days of famine they are satisfied. 20 But the wicked perish, and the enemies of Jehovah, As the preciousness of lambs, Have been consumed, In smoke they have been consumed.

21 The wicked is borrowing and repayeth not, And the righteous is gracious and giving. 22 For His blessed ones do possess the land, And His reviled ones are cut off. 23 From Jehovah 'are' the steps of a man, They have been prepared, And his way he desireth. 24 When he falleth, he is not cast down, For Jehovah is sustaining his hand. 25 Young I have been, I have also become old, And I have not seen the righteous forsaken, And his seed seeking bread. 26 All the day he is gracious and lending, And his seed 'is' for a blessing. 27 Turn aside from evil, and do good, and dwell to the age. 28 For Jehovah is loving judgment, And He doth not forsake His saintly ones, To the age they have been kept, And the seed of the wicked is cut off. 29 The righteous possess the land, And they dwell for ever on it. 30 The mouth of the righteous uttereth wisdom, And his tongue speaketh judgment. 31 The law of his God 'is' his heart, His steps do not slide. 32 The wicked is watching for the righteous, And is seeking to put him to death. 33 Jehovah doth not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him in his being judged.

34 Look unto Jehovah, and keep His way, And He doth exalt thee to possess the land, In the wicked being cut off—thou seest! 35 I have seen the wicked terrible, And spreading as a green native plant, 36 And he passeth away, and lo, he is not, And I seek him, and he is not found! 37 Observe the perfect, and see the upright, For the latter end of each 'is' peace. 38 And transgressors were destroyed together, The latter end of the wicked was cut off. 39 And the salvation of the righteous 'is' from Jehovah, Their strong place in a time of adversity. 40 And Jehovah doth help them and deliver them, He delivereth them from the wicked, And saveth them, Because they trusted in Him!

The Prayer of a Suffering Penitent

381 Jehovah, in Thy wrath reprove me not, Nor in Thy fury chastise me. 2 For Thine arrows have come down on me, And Thou lettest down upon me Thy hand. 3 Soundness is not in my flesh, Because of Thine indignation, Peace is not in my bones because of my sin. 4 For mine iniquities have passed over my head, As a heavy burden—too heavy for me. 5 Stunk—become corrupt have my wounds, Because of my folly. 6 I have been bent down, I have been bowed down—unto excess, All the day I have gone mourning. 7 For my flanks have been full of drought, And soundness is not in my flesh. 8 I have been feeble and smitten—unto excess, I have roared from disquietude of heart. 9 Lord, before Thee 'is' all my desire, And my sighing from Thee hath not been hid. 10 My heart 'is' panting, my power hath forsaken me, And the light of mine eyes, Even they are not with me. 11 My lovers and my friends over-against my plague stand. And my neighbours afar off have stood.

12 And those seeking my soul lay a snare, And those seeking my evil Have spoken mischievous things, And they do deceits meditate all the day. 13 And I, as deaf, hear not. And as a dumb one who openeth not his mouth. 14 Yea, I am as a man who heareth not, And in his mouth are no reproofs. 15 Because for Thee, O Jehovah, I have waited, Thou dost answer, O Lord my God. 16 When I said, 'Lest they rejoice over me, In the slipping of my foot against me they magnified themselves. 17 For I am ready to halt, And my pain 'is' before me continually. 18 For mine iniquity I declare, I am sorry for my sin. 19 And mine enemies 'are' lively, They have been strong, and those hating me without cause, Have been multiplied. 20 And those paying evil for good accuse me, Because of my pursuing good. 21 Do not forsake me, O Jehovah, My God, be not far from me, 22 Haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

Hope in the LORD

391 I have said, 'I observe my ways, Against sinning with my tongue, I keep for my mouth a curb, while the wicked 'is' before me.' 2 I was dumb 'with' silence, I kept silent from good, and my pain is excited. 3 Hot 'is' my heart within me, In my meditating doth the fire burn, I have spoken with my tongue. 4 'Cause me to know, O Jehovah, mine end, And the measure of my days—what it 'is',' I know how frail I 'am'. 5 Lo, handbreadths Thou hast made my days, And mine age 'is' as nothing before Thee, Only, all vanity 'is' every man set up. Selah. 6 Only, in an image doth each walk habitually, Only, 'in' vain, they are disquieted, He heapeth up and knoweth not who gathereth them.

7 And, now, what have I expected? O Lord, my hope—it 'is' of Thee. 8 From all my transgressions deliver me, A reproach of the fool make me not. 9 I have been dumb, I open not my mouth, Because Thou—Thou hast done 'it'. 10 Turn aside from off me Thy stroke, From the striving of Thy hand I have been consumed. 11 With reproofs against iniquity, Thou hast corrected man, And dost waste as a moth his desirableness, Only, vanity 'is' every man. Selah. 12 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah, And 'to' my cry give ear, Unto my tear be not silent, For a sojourner I 'am' with Thee, A settler like all my fathers. 13 Look from me, and I brighten up before I go and am not!