<p class="poetry">Will you speak wickedly<n id="1" /> on God&#8217;s behalf?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Will you speak deceitfully for him?p>

<p class="poetry">who, moreover, do no wrong,p> <p class="poetry">but follow in his footsteps.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Is there any falsehood<n id="1" /> on my lips?p> <p class="poetry">Can my mouth<n id="2" /> not discern evil things?<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">if<n id="1" /> iniquity is in your hand &#8211; put it far away,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and do not let evil reside in your tents.p>

<p class="poetry">how much less man, who is abominable and corrupt,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">who drinks in evil like water!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent,p>

<p class="poetry">my<n id="1" /> lips will not speak wickedness,p> <p class="poetry">and my tongue will whisper<n id="2" /> no deceit.p>

<p class="poetry">Who has prescribed his ways for him?p> <p class="poetry">Or said to him, &#8216;You have done what is wicked&#8217;?p>

<n id="1" /><p class="poetry">His thunder announces the coming storm,p> <p class="poetry">the cattle also, concerning the storm&#8217;s approach.p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">By David.p> <p class="poetry">Do not fret<n id="2" /> when wicked men seem to succeed!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not envy evildoers!p>

<p class="poetry">When the godly see this, they rejoice,p> <p class="poetry">and every sinner<n id="1" /> shuts his mouth.p>

<p class="poetry">The one who sows<n id="1" /> iniquity will reap trouble,p> <p class="poetry">and the rod of his fury<n id="2" /> will end.p>

<p class="poetry">Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Relent,<n id="1" /> let there be no falsehood;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">reconsider,<n id="3" /> for my righteousness is intact!<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The womb<n id="1" /> forgets him,p> <p class="poetry">the worm feasts on him,p> <p class="poetry">no longer will he be remembered.p> <p class="poetry">Like a tree, wickedness will be broken down.p>

<p class="poetry">Receiving sacrifices and offerings are not your primary concern.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You make that quite clear to me!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You do not ask for burnt sacrifices and sin offerings.p>

<p class="poetry">Certainly<n id="1" /> you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then you will accept<n id="1" /> the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings;p> <p class="poetry">then bulls will be sacrificed<n id="2" /> on your altar.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">No enemy will be able to exact tribute<n id="1" /> from him;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Even if mothers<n id="3" /> were to forget,p> <p class="poetry">I could never forget you!<n id="4" />p>