The Lord wanted to exhibit his justice by magnifying his law and displaying it.

The earth is defiled by its inhabitants, for they have violated laws, disregarded the regulation, and broken the permanent treaty.

For these are rebellious people – they are lying children, children unwilling to obey the Lord’s law.

Listen to me, you who know what is right, you people who are aware of my law! Don’t be afraid of the insults of men; don’t be discouraged because of their abuse!

Who handed Jacob over to the robber? Who handed Israel over to the looters? Was it not the Lord, against whom we sinned? They refused to follow his commands; they disobeyed his law.

Therefore, as flaming fire devours straw, and dry grass disintegrates in the flames, so their root will rot, and their flower will blow away like dust. For they have rejected the law of the Lord who commands armies, they have spurned the commands of the Holy One of Israel.

They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.

Tie up the scroll as legal evidence, seal the official record of God’s instructions and give it to my followers.

Listen to the Lord’s word, you leaders of Sodom! Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, people of Gomorrah!

Pay attention to me, my people! Listen to me, my people! For I will issue a decree, I will make my justice a light to the nations.

He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees.”

Then you must recall the Lord’s instructions and the prophetic testimony of what would happen. Certainly they say such things because their minds are spiritually darkened.

Can spoils be taken from a warrior, or captives be rescued from a conqueror?

many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the temple of the God of Jacob, so he can teach us his requirements, and we can follow his standards.” For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem.

No one is concerned about justice; no one sets forth his case truthfully. They depend on false words and tell lies; they conceive of oppression and give birth to sin.

Those who enact unjust policies are as good as dead, those who are always instituting unfair regulations,

The father of your nation sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against me.

Yes, as your judgments unfold, O Lord, we wait for you. We desire your fame and reputation to grow.

He will give discernment to the one who makes judicial decisions, and strength to those who defend the city from attackers.

For the Lord, our ruler, the Lord, our commander, the Lord, our king – he will deliver us.