God will not forget his people
1O Lord my God,
You are the One who punishes people
for the wrong that they have done.
Please come and punish the guilty people.
2You are the Judge of all the earth.
Please start punishing the proud people
for what they have done.
3Lord, the people who do wrong
rejoice because of the bad things
that happen to other people.
How long will they continue to do this?
4They say things that proud people say
and they boast about the bad things
that they have done.
5Lord, they oppress your people,
and they make the people who belong to You suffer.
6They kill widows and strangers,
they murder orphans,
7and then they say:
‘The Lord does not see this.
The God_of_Jacob
does not know that it happened.’
8You stupid people,
you are fools. When will you
understand and become wise?
9The Lord has given us ears to hear.
Do you think that He Himself can not hear?
He gave us eyes. Do you think
that He Himself can not see?
10He punishes other nations.
Do you think that He will not punish you?
He is the One who teaches people
what they should know.
Do you think that He Himself
doesn't know anything?
11The Lord knows what people think,
and He knows that our plans are worthless.
12O Lord, if You teach someone,
then he is really happy.
If You teach your laws to someone,
then You are good to him and You bless him.
13You help him and give him rest
when there is a lot of trouble,
but You prepare a grave
for those who do wrong.
14The Lord will not throw his people away.
He will not leave the people
who belong to Him.
15The people who must judge
will be fair again,
and all the honest people will do the same.
16No one wanted to help me
fight against the cruel people.
No one helped me against sinners
who did bad things.
17The Lord helped me.
If He had not helped me,
then I would have been dead long ago.
18I thought that my foot had slipped
and that I was going to fall,
but You are faithful and You held me upright.
19I was very worried,
but You comforted me and changed everything,
and You made me happy again.
20You will never be a friend
of bad and dishonest judges,
those who disobey your laws
and make people suffer.
21They make plans together
against people who live in the right way.
They say innocent people are guilty
and they punish them.
22But the Lord protects me.
He is my God and my Rock where I am safe.
23He will punish those sinful people
for the wrong things they have done.
He will destroy them
for all the bad they have done.
The Lord our God will cause them to die.
