<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">Blessed be the <sc>Lordsc> God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the <sc>Lordsc> which is in Jerusalem!

Then I said to them, &#8220;You are holy to the <sc>Lordsc>, just as these vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a voluntary offering to the <sc>Lordsc>, the God of your fathers.

Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe<n id="1" /> gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile.<n id="2" /> Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.p>

<p class="bodytext">At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement,<n id="1" /> with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the <sc>Lordsc> my God.

Now give praise to the <sc>Lordsc> God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents<n id="1" /> and from these foreign wives.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">When I heard these things I sat down abruptly,<n id="1" /> crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Then I said, &#8220;Please, O <sc>LORDsc> God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant<n id="1" /> with those who love him and obey<n id="2" /> his commandments,

<p class="bodytext">Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in light of these actions of theirs &#8211; also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to scare me!p>

<p class="poetry">Rise up,<n id="1" /> <sc>Lordsc>!p> <p class="poetry">Deliver me, my God!p> <p class="poetry">Yes,<n id="2" /> you will strike<n id="3" /> all my enemies on the jaw;p> <p class="poetry">you will break the teeth<n id="4" /> of the wicked.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of David.p> <p class="poetry">When I call out, answer me,p> <p class="poetry">O God who vindicates me!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Though I am hemmed in, you will lead me into a wide, open place.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Have mercy on me<n id="4" /> and respond to<n id="5" /> my prayer!p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">A musical composition<n id="2" /> by David, which he sang to the <sc>Lordsc> concerning<n id="3" /> a Benjaminite named Cush.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc> my God, in you I have taken shelter.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!p>

<p class="poetry">In my distress I called to the <sc>Lordsc>;p> <p class="poetry">I cried out to my God.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">From his heavenly temple<n id="2" /> he heard my voice;p> <p class="poetry">he listened to my cry for help.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do not reject me!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not push your servant away in anger!p> <p class="poetry">You are my deliverer!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not forsake or abandon me,p> <p class="poetry">O God who vindicates me!p>

<p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc>, my God, you have accomplished many things;p> <p class="poetry">you have done amazing things and carried out your purposes for us.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">No one can thwart you!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I want to declare them and talk about them,p> <p class="poetry">but they are too numerous to recount!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I am oppressed and needy!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">May the Lord pay attention to me!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You are my helper and my deliverer!p> <p class="poetry">O my God, do not delay!p>

<p class="poetry">I am depressed,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">so I will pray to you while I am trapped here in the region of the upper Jordan,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">from Hermon,<n id="3" /> from Mount Mizar.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The nobles of the nations assemble,p> <p class="poetry">along with the people of the God of Abraham,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for God has authority over the rulers<n id="2" /> of the earth.p> <p class="poetry">He is highly exalted!<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">For the music director; according to the <i>al-tashchethi> style;<n id="2" /> a prayer<n id="3" /> of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Deliver me from my enemies, my God!p> <p class="poetry">Protect me<n id="5" /> from those who attack me!<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">You, O <sc>Lordsc> God, the invincible warrior,<n id="1" /> the God of Israel,p> <p class="poetry">rouse yourself and punish<n id="2" /> all the nations!p> <p class="poetry">Have no mercy on any treacherous evildoers! (Selah)p>

<p class="poetry">the earth shakes,p> <p class="poetry">yes, the heavens pour down rainp> <p class="poetry">before God, the God of Sinai,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">before God, the God of Israel.<n id="2" />p>