A prayer of David.

¹Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;

listen to my cry.

Hear my prayer –

it does not rise from deceitful lips.

²Let my vindication come from you;

may your eyes see what is right.

³Though you probe my heart,

though you examine me at night and test me,

you will find that I have planned no evil;

my mouth has not transgressed.

⁴Though people tried to bribe me,

I have kept myself from the ways of the violent

through what your lips have commanded.

⁵My steps have held to your paths;

my feet have not stumbled.

⁶I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;

turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.

⁷Show me the wonders of your great love,

you who save by your right hand

those who take refuge in you from their foes.

⁸Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings

⁹from the wicked who are out to destroy me,

from my mortal enemies who surround me.

¹⁰They close up their callous hearts,

and their mouths speak with arrogance.

¹¹They have tracked me down, they now surround me,

with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.

¹²They are like a lion hungry for prey,

like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

¹³Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;

with your sword rescue me from the wicked.

¹⁴By your hand save me from such people, Lord,

from those of this world whose reward is in this life.

May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;

may their children gorge themselves on it,

and may there be leftovers for their little ones.

¹⁵As for me, I shall be vindicated and shall see your face;

when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

¹ Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?

Who may live on your holy mountain?

²The one whose way of life is blameless,

who does what is righteous,

who speaks the truth from their heart;

³whose tongue utters no slander,

who does no wrong to a neighbour,

and casts no slur on others;

⁴who despises a vile person

but honours those who fear the Lord;

who keeps an oath even when it hurts,

and does not change their mind;

⁵who lends money to the poor without interest;

who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things

will never be shaken.

¹Help, Lord, for no-one is faithful anymore;

those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.

²Everyone lies to their neighbour;

they flatter with their lips

but harbour deception in their hearts.

³May the Lord silence all flattering lips

and every boastful tongue –

⁴those who say,

‘By our tongues we will prevail;

our own lips will defend us – who is lord over us?’

⁵‘Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,

I will now arise,’ says the Lord.

‘I will protect them from those who malign them.’

⁶And the words of the Lord are flawless,

like silver purified in a crucible,

like gold refined seven times.

⁷You, Lord, will keep the needy safe

and will protect us for ever from the wicked,

⁸who freely strut about

when what is vile is honoured by the human race.

¹In the Lord I take refuge.

How then can you say to me:

‘Flee like a bird to your mountain.

²For look, the wicked bend their bows;

they set their arrows against the strings

to shoot from the shadows

at the upright in heart.

³When the foundations are being destroyed,

what can the righteous do?’

⁴The Lord is in his holy temple;

the Lord is on his heavenly throne.

He observes everyone on earth;

his eyes examine them.

⁵The Lord examines the righteous,

but the wicked, those who love violence,

he hates with a passion.

⁶On the wicked he will rain

fiery coals and burning sulphur;

a scorching wind will be their lot.

⁷For the Lord is righteous,

he loves justice;

the upright will see his face.

¹I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

²I will be glad and rejoice in you;

I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

³My enemies turn back;

they stumble and perish before you.

⁴For you have upheld my right and my cause,

sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.

⁵You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;

you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

⁶Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,

you have uprooted their cities;

even the memory of them has perished.

⁷The Lord reigns for ever;

he has established his throne for judgment.

⁸He rules the world in righteousness

and judges the peoples with equity.

⁹The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

¹⁰Those who know your name trust in you,

for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

¹¹Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;

proclaim among the nations what he has done.

¹²For he who avenges blood remembers;

he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.

¹³ Lord, see how my enemies persecute me!

Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,

¹⁴that I may declare your praises

in the gates of Daughter Zion,

and there rejoice in your salvation.

¹⁵The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;

their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.

¹⁶The Lord is known by his acts of justice;

the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

¹⁷The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,

all the nations that forget God.

¹⁸But God will never forget the needy;

the hope of the afflicted will never perish.

¹⁹Arise, Lord, do not let mortals triumph;

let the nations be judged in your presence.

²⁰Strike them with terror, Lord;

let the nations know they are only mortal.

A shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

¹ Lord my God, I take refuge in you;

save and deliver me from all who pursue me,

²or they will tear me apart like a lion

and rip me to pieces with no-one to rescue me.

³ Lord my God, if I have done this

and there is guilt on my hands –

⁴if I have repaid my ally with evil

or without cause have robbed my foe –

⁵then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;

let him trample my life to the ground

and make me sleep in the dust.

⁶Arise, Lord, in your anger;

rise up against the rage of my enemies.

Awake, my God; decree justice.

⁷Let the assembled peoples gather round you,

while you sit enthroned over them on high.

⁸Let the Lord judge the peoples.

Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,

according to my integrity, O Most High.

⁹Bring to an end the violence of the wicked

and make the righteous secure –

you, the righteous God

who probes minds and hearts.

¹⁰My shield is God Most High,

who saves the upright in heart.

¹¹God is a righteous judge,

a God who displays his wrath every day.

¹²If he does not relent,

he will sharpen his sword;

he will bend and string his bow.

¹³He has prepared his deadly weapons;

he makes ready his flaming arrows.

¹⁴Whoever is pregnant with evil

conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.

¹⁵Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out

falls into the pit they have made.

¹⁶The trouble they cause recoils on them;

their violence comes down on their own heads.

¹⁷I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;

I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.

¹Listen to my words, Lord,

consider my lament.

²Hear my cry for help,

my King and my God,

for to you I pray.

³In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you

and wait expectantly.

⁴For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;

with you, evil people are not welcome.

⁵The arrogant cannot stand

in your presence.

You hate all who do wrong;

⁶you destroy those who tell lies.

The bloodthirsty and deceitful

you, Lord, detest.

⁷But I, by your great love,

can come into your house;

in reverence I bow down

towards your holy temple.

⁸Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness

because of my enemies –

make your way straight before me.

⁹Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;

their heart is filled with malice.

Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongues they tell lies.

¹⁰Declare them guilty, O God!

Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Banish them for their many sins,

for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

¹²Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favour as with a shield.

Sayings of King Lemuel

¹The sayings of King Lemuel – an inspired utterance his mother taught him.

²Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!

Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!

³Do not spend your strength on women,

your vigour on those who ruin kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel –

it is not for kings to drink wine,

not for rulers to crave beer,

⁵lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,

and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

⁶Let beer be for those who are perishing,

wine for those who are in anguish!

⁷Let them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more.

⁸Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

⁹Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Epilogue: the wife of noble character

¹⁰  A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

¹¹Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

¹²She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

¹³She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵She gets up while it is still night;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her female servants.

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

¹⁸She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²²She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹‘Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all.’

³⁰Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

³¹Honour her for all that her hands have done,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

¹Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes

will suddenly be destroyed – without remedy.

²When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;

when the wicked rule, the people groan.

³A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,

but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

⁴By justice a king gives a country stability,

but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.

⁵Those who flatter their neighbours

are spreading nets for their feet.

⁶Evildoers are snared by their own sin,

but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.

⁷The righteous care about justice for the poor,

but the wicked have no such concern.

⁸Mockers stir up a city,

but the wise turn away anger.

⁹If a wise person goes to court with a fool,

the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

¹⁰The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity

and seek to kill the upright.

¹¹Fools give full vent to their rage,

but the wise bring calm in the end.

¹²If a ruler listens to lies,

all his officials become wicked.

¹³The poor and the oppressor have this in common:

the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.

¹⁴If a king judges the poor with fairness,

his throne will be established for ever.

¹⁵A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,

but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.

¹⁶When the wicked thrive, so does sin,

but the righteous will see their downfall.

¹⁷Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;

they will bring you the delights you desire.

¹⁸Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;

but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.

¹⁹Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;

though they understand, they will not respond.

²⁰Do you see someone who speaks in haste?

There is more hope for a fool than for them.

²¹A servant pampered from youth

will turn out to be insolent.

²²An angry person stirs up conflict,

and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.

²³Pride brings a person low,

but the lowly in spirit gain honour.

²⁴The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;

they are put under oath and dare not testify.

²⁵Fear of man will prove to be a snare,

but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

²⁶Many seek an audience with a ruler,

but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.

²⁷The righteous detest the dishonest;

the wicked detest the upright.

¹The wicked flee though no-one pursues,

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

²When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,

but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

³A ruler who oppresses the poor

is like driving rain that leaves no crops.

⁴Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,

but those who heed it resist them.

⁵Evildoers do not understand what is right,

but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶Better the poor whose way of life is blameless

than the rich whose ways are perverse.

⁷A discerning son heeds instruction,

but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

⁸Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor

amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

⁹If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,

even their prayers are detestable.

¹⁰Whoever leads the upright along an evil path

will fall into their own trap,

but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

¹¹The rich are wise in their own eyes;

one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;

but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

¹³Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,

but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

¹⁴Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,

but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵Like a roaring lion or a charging bear

is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

¹⁶A tyrannical ruler practises extortion,

but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

¹⁷Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder

will seek refuge in the grave;

let no-one hold them back.

¹⁸The one whose way of life is blameless is kept safe,

but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.

¹⁹Those who work their land will have abundant food,

but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

²⁰A faithful person will be richly blessed,

but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

²¹To show partiality is not good –

yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

²²The stingy are eager to get rich

and are unaware that poverty awaits them.

²³Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favour

rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

²⁴Whoever robs their father or mother

and says, ‘It’s not wrong,’

is partner to one who destroys.

²⁵The greedy stir up conflict,

but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.

²⁶Those who trust in themselves are fools,

but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

²⁷Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,

but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

²⁸When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;

but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.