⁷ The law of the Lord^(O) is perfect,^(P)
    refreshing the soul.^(Q)
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,^(R)
    making wise the simple.^(S)
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,^(T)
    giving joy^(U) to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.^(V)
9 The fear of the Lord^(W) is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.^(X)

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,^(Y)
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,^(Z)
    than honey from the honeycomb.^(AA)
11 By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.^(AB)
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;^(AC)
    may they not rule over me.^(AD)
Then I will be blameless,^(AE)
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing^(AF) in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock^(AG) and my Redeemer.^(AH)

⁵ Why should I fear^(J) when evil days come,
    when wicked deceivers surround me—
⁶ those who trust in their wealth^(K)
    and boast^(L) of their great riches?^(M)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
⁸ the ransom^(N) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—^(O)
9 so that they should live on^(P) forever
    and not see decay.^(Q)
10 For all can see that the wise die,^(R)
    that the foolish and the senseless^(S) also perish,
    leaving their wealth^(T) to others.^(U)
11 Their tombs^(V) will remain their houses^[b] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,^(W)
    though they had^[c] named^(X) lands after themselves.

¹² People, despite their wealth, do not endure;^(Y)
    they are like the beasts that perish.^(Z)

¹³ This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,^(AA)
    and of their followers, who approve their sayings.^[d]
14 They are like sheep and are destined^(AB) to die;^(AC)
    death will be their shepherd
    (but the upright will prevail^(AD) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
    far from their princely mansions.
¹⁵ But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;^(AE)
    he will surely take me to himself.^(AF)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
¹⁷ for they will take nothing^(AG) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.^(AH)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—^(AI)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
¹⁹ they will join those who have gone before them,^(AJ)
    who will never again see the light^(AK) of life.

²⁰ People who have wealth but lack understanding^(AL)
    are like the beasts that perish.^(AM)

⁵ How long,^(J) Lord? Will you be angry^(K) forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?^(L)
6 Pour out your wrath^(M) on the nations
    that do not acknowledge^(N) you,
on the kingdoms
    that do not call on your name;^(O)
7 for they have devoured^(P) Jacob
    and devastated his homeland.

⁸ Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;^(Q)
    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
    for we are in desperate need.^(R)
9 Help us,^(S) God our Savior,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
    for your name’s sake.^(T)
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”^(U)

Before our eyes, make known among the nations
    that you avenge^(V) the outpoured blood^(W) of your servants.
¹¹ May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
¹² Pay back into the laps^(X) of our neighbors seven times^(Y)
    the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
¹³ Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,^(Z)
    will praise you forever;^(AA)
from generation to generation
    we will proclaim your praise.

⁶ Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
    let an accuser^(I) stand at his right hand.
⁷ When he is tried, let him be found guilty,^(J)
    and may his prayers condemn^(K) him.
⁸ May his days be few;^(L)
    may another take his place^(M) of leadership.
⁹ May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow.^(N)
10 May his children be wandering beggars;^(O)
    may they be driven^[a] from their ruined homes.
¹¹ May a creditor^(P) seize all he has;
    may strangers plunder^(Q) the fruits of his labor.^(R)
12 May no one extend kindness to him
    or take pity^(S) on his fatherless children.
¹³ May his descendants be cut off,^(T)
    their names blotted out^(U) from the next generation.
¹⁴ May the iniquity of his fathers^(V) be remembered before the Lord;
    may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
¹⁵ May their sins always remain before^(W) the Lord,
    that he may blot out their name^(X) from the earth.

¹⁶ For he never thought of doing a kindness,
    but hounded to death the poor
    and the needy^(Y) and the brokenhearted.^(Z)
17 He loved to pronounce a curse—
    may it come back on him.^(AA)
He found no pleasure in blessing—
    may it be far from him.
¹⁸ He wore cursing^(AB) as his garment;
    it entered into his body like water,^(AC)
    into his bones like oil.
¹⁹ May it be like a cloak wrapped^(AD) about him,
    like a belt tied forever around him.
²⁰ May this be the Lord’s payment^(AE) to my accusers,
    to those who speak evil^(AF) of me.

²¹ But you, Sovereign Lord,
    help me for your name’s sake;^(AG)
    out of the goodness of your love,^(AH) deliver me.^(AI)
22 For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is wounded within me.
²³ I fade away like an evening shadow;^(AJ)
    I am shaken off like a locust.
²⁴ My knees give^(AK) way from fasting;^(AL)
    my body is thin and gaunt.^(AM)
25 I am an object of scorn^(AN) to my accusers;
    when they see me, they shake their heads.^(AO)

²⁶ Help me,^(AP) Lord my God;
    save me according to your unfailing love.
²⁷ Let them know^(AQ) that it is your hand,
    that you, Lord, have done it.
²⁸ While they curse,^(AR) may you bless;
    may those who attack me be put to shame,
    but may your servant rejoice.^(AS)
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
    and wrapped in shame^(AT) as in a cloak.

³⁰ With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
    in the great throng^(AU) of worshipers I will praise him.
³¹ For he stands at the right hand^(AV) of the needy,
    to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee^(K) from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens,^(L) you are there;
    if I make my bed^(M) in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,^(N)
    your right hand^(O) will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark^(P) to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;^(Q)
    you knit me together^(R) in my mother’s womb.^(S)
14 I praise you^(T) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,^(U)
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made^(V) in the secret place,
    when I was woven together^(W) in the depths of the earth.^(X)
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained^(Y) for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a](Z) God!^(AA)
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,^(AB)
    they would outnumber the grains of sand^(AC)—
    when I awake,^(AD) I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!^(AE)
    Away from me,^(AF) you who are bloodthirsty!^(AG)
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries^(AH) misuse your name.^(AI)
21 Do I not hate those^(AJ) who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor^(AK) those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.^(AL)
23 Search me,^(AM) God, and know my heart;^(AN)
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way^(AO) in me,
    and lead me^(AP) in the way everlasting.

19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.^(A)

² Desire without knowledge is not good—
    how much more will hasty feet miss the way!^(B)

³ A person’s own folly^(C) leads to their ruin,
    yet their heart rages against the Lord.^(D)

⁴ Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.^(E)

⁵ A false witness^(F) will not go unpunished,^(G)
    and whoever pours out lies will not go free.^(H)

⁶ Many curry favor with a ruler,^(I)
    and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.^(J)

⁷ The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!^(K)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.^[a](L)

⁸ The one who gets wisdom loves life;
    the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.^(M)

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,
    and whoever pours out lies will perish.^(N)

¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool^(O) to live in luxury—
    how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!^(P)

¹¹ A person’s wisdom yields patience;^(Q)
    it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

¹² A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,^(R)
    but his favor is like dew^(S) on the grass.^(T)

¹³ A foolish child is a father’s ruin,^(U)
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.^(V)

¹⁴ Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,^(W)
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.^(X)

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.^(Y)

¹⁶ Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
    but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.^(Z)

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,^(AA)
    and he will reward them for what they have done.^(AB)

¹⁸ Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
    do not be a willing party to their death.^(AC)

¹⁹ A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
    rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept discipline,^(AD)
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.^(AE)

²¹ Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.^(AF)

²² What a person desires is unfailing love^[b];
    better to be poor than a liar.

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble.^(AG)

²⁴ A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!^(AH)

²⁵ Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
    rebuke the discerning,^(AI) and they will gain knowledge.^(AJ)

²⁶ Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother^(AK)
    is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷ Stop listening to instruction, my son,^(AL)
    and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸ A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.^(AM)

²⁹ Penalties are prepared for mockers,
    and beatings for the backs of fools.^(AN)