They will report that the fords have been captured, the reed marshes have been burned, the soldiers are terrified.

Better to have a little with righteousness than to have abundant income without justice.

Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? One of the men might easily have had sexual relations with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”

because they have turned away from following him, and have not understood any of his ways,

But I have integrity! Rescue me and have mercy on me!

Here I am. Bring a charge against me before the Lord and before his chosen king. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I wronged? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe so that I would overlook something? Tell me, and I will return it to you!”

You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law; you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all.

I can see the evildoers! They have fallen! They have been knocked down and are unable to get up!

O LORD, we have been humiliated – our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors – because we have sinned against you.

The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have made a promise on oath to David, my servant:

Woe to them! For they have fled from me! Destruction to them! For they have rebelled against me! I want to deliver them, but they have lied to me.

I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you.”

You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. It is we who have been in the wrong!

Though you have eyes, don’t you see? And though you have ears, can’t you hear? Don’t you remember?

You have scrutinized my inner motives; you have examined me during the night. You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin. I am determined I will say nothing sinful.

“Do so because my people have committed a double wrong: they have rejected me, the fountain of life-giving water, and they have dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns which cannot even hold water.”

A psalm of Asaph. O God, foreigners have invaded your chosen land; they have polluted your holy temple and turned Jerusalem into a heap of ruins.

Then they must proclaim, “Our hands have not spilled this blood, nor have we witnessed the crime.

I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion.