God’s Justice

37 Who has spoken and it came to pass,

unless the Lord has ordained it?

38 Do not both adversity and good

come from the mouth of the Most High?

39 Why should any mortal man complain,

in view of his sins?

40 Let us examine and test our ways,

and turn back to the LORD.

41 Let us lift up our hearts and hands

to God in heaven:

42 “We have sinned and rebelled;

You have not forgiven.”

43 You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us;

You have killed without pity.

44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud

that no prayer can pass through.

45 You have made us scum and refuse

among the nations.

46 All our enemies

open their mouths against us.

47 Panic and pitfall have come upon us—

devastation and destruction.

48 Streams of tears flow from my eyes

over the destruction of the daughter of my people.

49 My eyes overflow unceasingly,

without relief,

50 until the LORD

looks down from heaven and sees.

51 My eyes bring grief to my soul

because of all the daughters of my city.

52 Without cause my enemies

hunted me like a bird.

53 They dropped me alive into a pit

and cast stones upon me.

54 The waters flowed over my head,

and I thought I was going to die.

55 I called on Your name, O LORD,

out of the depths of the Pit.

56 You heard my plea:

“Do not ignore my cry for relief.”

57 You drew near when I called on You;

You said, “Do not be afraid.”

58 You defend my cause, O Lord;

You redeem my life.

59 You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me;

vindicate my cause!

60 You have seen all their malice,

all their plots against me.

61 O LORD, You have heard their insults,

all their plots against me—

62 the slander and murmuring of my assailants

against me all day long.

63 When they sit and when they rise,

see how they mock me in song.

64 You will pay them back what they deserve, O LORD,

according to the work of their hands.

65 Put a veil of anguish over their hearts;

may Your curse be upon them!

66 You will pursue them in anger and exterminate them

from under Your heavens, O LORD.