¹² O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
you test those who are righteous,
    and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.
Let me see your vengeance against them,
    for I have committed my cause to you.

²⁰ O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
you make righteous judgments,
    and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.
Let me see your vengeance against them,
    for I have committed my cause to you.

⁸ O my people, trust in him at all times.
    Pour out your heart to him,
    for God is our refuge. Interlude

⁷ For you have rescued me from my troubles
    and helped me to triumph over my enemies.

¹⁰ But I, the Lord, search all hearts
    and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
    according to what their actions deserve.”

¹⁰ In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me.
    He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

² Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.
    Test my motives and my heart.
³ For I am always aware of your unfailing love,
    and I have lived according to your truth.

⁹ End the evil of those who are wicked,
    and defend the righteous.
For you look deep within the mind and heart,
    O righteous God.

¹⁹ Lord, hear me and help me!
    Listen to what my enemies are saying.
²⁰ Should they repay evil for good?
    They have dug a pit to kill me,
though I pleaded for them
    and tried to protect them from your anger.
²¹ So let their children starve!
    Let them die by the sword!
Let their wives become childless widows.
    Let their old men die in a plague,
    and let their young men be killed in battle!
²² Let screaming be heard from their homes
    as warriors come suddenly upon them.
For they have dug a pit for me
    and have hidden traps along my path.
²³ Lord, you know all about their murderous plots against me.
    Don’t forgive their crimes and blot out their sins.
Let them die before you.
    Deal with them in your anger.