But he is unchangeable, and who can change him? Whatever he has desired, he does.

“As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter –

“And now my soul pours itself out within me; days of suffering take hold of me.

Have I not wept for the unfortunate? Was not my soul grieved for the poor?

I have not even permitted my mouth to sin by asking for his life through a curse –

if I have eaten its produce without paying, or caused the death of its owners,

He spares a person’s life from corruption, his very life from crossing over the river.

He redeemed my life from going down to the place of corruption, and my life sees the light!’

to turn back his life from the place of corruption, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.

Its breath sets coals ablaze and a flame shoots from its mouth.

Relent, Lord, rescue me! Deliver me because of your faithfulness!

Otherwise they will rip me to shreds like a lion; they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me.

The Lord approves of the godly, but he hates the wicked and those who love to do violence.

Protect me from the wicked men who attack me, my enemies who crowd around me for the kill.

Deliver me from the sword! Save my life from the claws of the wild dogs!

He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.

Protect me and deliver me! Please do not let me be humiliated, for I have taken shelter in you!

I will boast in the Lord; let the oppressed hear and rejoice!

O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this? Rescue me from their destructive attacks; guard my life from the young lions!

Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha! We have what we wanted!” Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”