Yet all of this fails to satisfy me so long as I have to see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived. They quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Then King Ahasuerus responded to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough to act in this way?”

The king then removed his signet ring (the very one he had taken back from Haman) and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s estate.

For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”

All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who performed the king’s business were assisting the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.

Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,

Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.

But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”

But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life!

“But now they mock me, those who are younger than I, whose fathers I disdained too much to put with my sheep dogs.

who shows no partiality to princes, and does not take note of the rich more than the poor, because all of them are the work of his hands?

So they went, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and did just as the Lord had told them; and the Lord had respect for Job.

So the Lord restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the Lord doubled all that had belonged to Job.

How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers!

A musical composition by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning a Benjaminite named Cush. O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter. Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!

For the music director, according to the gittith style; a psalm of David. O Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your reputation throughout the earth! You reveal your majesty in the heavens above!

How great is your favor, which you store up for your loyal followers! In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter in you.

How blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and does not seek help from the proud or from liars!

We heard about God’s mighty deeds, now we have seen them, in the city of the Lord, the invincible Warrior, in the city of our God. God makes it permanently secure. (Selah)