⁴ They pour out arrogant^(G) words;
    all the evildoers are full of boasting.^(H)
5 They crush your people,^(I) Lord;
    they oppress your inheritance.^(J)
6 They slay the widow^(K) and the foreigner;
    they murder the fatherless.^(L)
7 They say, “The Lord does not see;^(M)
    the God of Jacob^(N) takes no notice.”

⁸ Take notice, you senseless ones^(O) among the people;
    you fools, when will you become wise?
⁹ Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
    Does he who formed the eye not see?^(P)
10 Does he who disciplines^(Q) nations not punish?
    Does he who teaches^(R) mankind lack knowledge?
¹¹ The Lord knows all human plans;^(S)
    he knows that they are futile.^(T)

¹² Blessed is the one you discipline,^(U) Lord,
    the one you teach^(V) from your law;
¹³ you grant them relief from days of trouble,^(W)
    till a pit^(X) is dug for the wicked.
¹⁴ For the Lord will not reject his people;^(Y)
    he will never forsake his inheritance.
¹⁵ Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,^(Z)
    and all the upright in heart^(AA) will follow it.

¹⁶ Who will rise up^(AB) for me against the wicked?
    Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?^(AC)
17 Unless the Lord had given me help,^(AD)
    I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.^(AE)
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,^(AF)”
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
¹⁹ When anxiety^(AG) was great within me,
    your consolation^(AH) brought me joy.

²⁰ Can a corrupt throne^(AI) be allied with you—
    a throne that brings on misery by its decrees?^(AJ)
21 The wicked band together^(AK) against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent^(AL) to death.^(AM)
22 But the Lord has become my fortress,
    and my God the rock^(AN) in whom I take refuge.^(AO)
23 He will repay^(AP) them for their sins
    and destroy^(AQ) them for their wickedness;
    the Lord our God will destroy them.

²⁰ “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
    and proclaim^(E) it in Judah:
²¹ Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,^(F)
    who have eyes^(G) but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear:^(H)
22 Should you not fear^(I) me?” declares the Lord.
    “Should you not tremble^(J) in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,^(K)
    an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
    they may roar,^(L) but they cannot cross it.
²³ But these people have stubborn and rebellious^(M) hearts;
    they have turned aside^(N) and gone away.
²⁴ They do not say to themselves,
    ‘Let us fear^(O) the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains^(P) in season,
    who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’^(Q)
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
    your sins have deprived you of good.^(R)

²⁶ “Among my people are the wicked^(S)
    who lie in wait^(T) like men who snare birds
    and like those who set traps^(U) to catch people.
²⁷ Like cages full of birds,
    their houses are full of deceit;^(V)
they have become rich^(W) and powerful
²⁸     and have grown fat^(X) and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
    they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;^(Y)
    they do not defend the just cause of the poor.^(Z)
29 Should I not punish them for this?”
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge^(AA) myself
    on such a nation as this?

³⁰ “A horrible^(AB) and shocking thing
    has happened in the land:
³¹ The prophets prophesy lies,^(AC)
    the priests^(AD) rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?^(AE)

² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;^(B)
    I had nearly lost my foothold.^(C)
3 For I envied^(D) the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.^(E)

⁴ They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.^[a]
5 They are free^(F) from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride^(G) is their necklace;^(H)
    they clothe themselves with violence.^(I)
7 From their callous hearts^(J) comes iniquity^[b];
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;^(K)
    with arrogance^(L) they threaten oppression.^(M)
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.^[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

¹² This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care,^(N) they go on amassing wealth.^(O)

¹³ Surely in vain^(P) I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.^(Q)
14 All day long I have been afflicted,^(R)
    and every morning brings new punishments.

¹⁵ If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
¹⁶ When I tried to understand^(S) all this,
    it troubled me deeply
¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary^(T) of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.^(U)

¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;^(V)
    you cast them down to ruin.^(W)
19 How suddenly^(X) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away^(Y) by terrors!
²⁰ They are like a dream^(Z) when one awakes;^(AA)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.^(AB)

²¹ When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless^(AC) and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast^(AD) before you.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.^(AE)
24 You guide^(AF) me with your counsel,^(AG)
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?^(AH)
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.^(AI)
26 My flesh and my heart^(AJ) may fail,^(AK)
    but God is the strength^(AL) of my heart
    and my portion^(AM) forever.

²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;^(AN)
    you destroy all who are unfaithful^(AO) to you.
²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.^(AP)
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;^(AQ)
    I will tell of all your deeds.^(AR)