For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; he did not overlook their cry for help

For he did not despise or detest the suffering of the oppressed; he did not ignore him; when he cried out to him, he responded.

Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the Lord's favor in the land of the living?

A psalm -- a song used at the dedication of the temple; by David. I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up, and did not allow my enemies to gloat over me.

I am forgotten, like a dead man no one thinks about; I am regarded as worthless, like a broken jar.

I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me and dug a pit to trap me.

For the music director; by the Korahites, a well-written song. O God, we have clearly heard; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in ancient times.

For they did not conquer the land by their swords, and they did not prevail by their strength, but rather by your power, strength and good favor, for you were partial to them.

But you rejected and embarrassed us! You did not go into battle with our armies.

You sold your people for a pittance; you did not ask a high price for them.

When you did these things, I was silent, so you thought I was exactly like you. But now I will condemn you and state my case against you!

Do not strike them dead suddenly, because then my people might forget the lesson. Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down, O Lord who shields us!

They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. They plan how to hide snares, and boast, "Who will see them?"

God deserves praise, for he did not reject my prayer or abandon his love for me!

Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head. Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, outnumber me. They make me repay what I did not steal!

I will remember the works of the Lord. Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago!

They did not keep their covenant with God, and they refused to obey his law.

He did amazing things in the sight of their ancestors, in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan.

because they did not have faith in God, and did not trust his ability to deliver them.

Despite all this, they continued to sin, and did not trust him to do amazing things.

They did not remember what he had done, how he delivered them from the enemy,

He sent his anger in full force; he did not spare them from death; he handed their lives over to destruction.

Yet they challenged and defied the sovereign God, and did not obey his commands.

Their priests fell by the sword, but their widows did not weep.

He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.

Why did you break down its walls, so that all who pass by pluck its fruit?

He decreed it as a regulation in Joseph, when he attacked the land of Egypt. I heard a voice I did not recognize.

But my people did not obey me; Israel did not submit to me.

I gave them over to their stubborn desires; they did what seemed right to them.

Do to them as you did to Midian -- as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River!

O my God, make them like dead thistles, like dead weeds blown away by the wind!

adrift among the dead, like corpses lying in the grave, whom you remember no more, and who are cut off from your power.

Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and give you thanks? (Selah)

Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?

For he is our God; we are the people of his pasture, the sheep he owns. Today, if only you would obey him!

He made it dark; they did not disobey his orders.

They quickly forgot what he had done; they did not wait for his instructions.

They rejected the fruitful land; they did not believe his promise.

They grumbled in their tents; they did not obey the Lord.

They worshiped Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.

They did not destroy the nations, as the Lord had commanded them to do.

The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any of those who descend into the silence of death.

The Lord severely punished me, but he did not hand me over to death.

(Tet) You are good to your servant, O Lord, just as you promised.

Today they stand firm by your decrees, for all things are your servants.

The Lord deserves praise, for he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.

The Lord did indeed accomplish great things for us. We were happy.

Remember, O Lord, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. They said, "Tear it down, tear it down, right to its very foundation!"

Certainly my enemies chase me. They smash me into the ground. They force me to live in dark regions, like those who have been dead for ages.