<p class="poetry">who delight<n id="1" /> in doing<n id="2" /> evil,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">they rejoice in perverse evil;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;It&#8217;s worthless! It&#8217;s worthless!&#8221;<n id="1" /> says the buyer,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">but when he goes on his way, he boasts.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">The fear of the <sc>Lordsc> is to hate<n id="1" /> evil;p> <p class="poetry">I hate arrogant pride<n id="2" /> and the evil wayp> <p class="poetry">and perverse utterances.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He does this so he can build his nest way up highp> <p class="poetry">and escape the clutches of disaster.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">to deliver<n id="1" /> you from the way of the wicked,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">from those<n id="3" /> speaking perversity,<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">by keeping<n id="1" /> you from the evil woman,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">from the smooth tongue of<n id="3" /> the loose woman.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">You refuse to believe a day of disaster will come,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but you establish a reign of violence.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Ahithophel was the king&#8217;s adviser;p> <p class="bodytext">Hushai the Arkite was the king&#8217;s confidant.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">He will deliver you<n id="1" /> from six calamities;p> <p class="poetry">yes, in seven<n id="2" /> no evil will touch you.p>

<p class="poetry">that the evil man is sparedp> <p class="poetry">from the day of his misfortune,p> <p class="poetry">that he is delivered<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">from the day of God&#8217;s wrath?p>

<p class="poetry">If<n id="1" /> I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">or exulted<n id="3" /> because calamity<n id="4" /> found him &#8211;p>

<p class="poetry">or have wronged my ally,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">or helped his lawless enemy,<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">But the <sc>Lordsc> opposes evildoersp> <p class="poetry">and wipes out all memory of them from the earth.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">You love evil more than good,p> <p class="poetry">lies more than speaking the truth.<n id="1" /> (Selah)p>

<p class="poetry">in order to protect him from times of trouble,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">until the wicked are destroyed.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will have nothing to do with a perverse person;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will not permit<n id="2" /> evil.p>

<p class="poetry">I stay away<n id="1" /> from the evil path,p> <p class="poetry">so that I might keep your instructions.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> will protect you from all harm;p> <p class="poetry">he will protect your life.p>

<p class="poetry">I almost<n id="1" /> came to complete ruin<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">in the midst of the whole congregation!&#8221;<n id="3" />p>