So turn and leave<n id="1" /> in peace. You must not do anything that the leaders of the Philistines consider improper!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David&#8217;s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man.

But now the <sc>Lordsc> my God has made me secure on all fronts; there is no adversary or dangerous threat.

<p class="poetry">But when I hoped for good, trouble came;p> <p class="poetry">when I expected light, then darkness came.p>

<p class="poetry">Certainly<n id="1" /> you are not a God who approves of evil;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">evil people<n id="3" /> cannot dwell with you.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">May the evil deeds of the wicked<n id="1" /> come to an end!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">But make the innocent<n id="3" /> secure,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">O righteous God,p> <p class="poetry">you who examine<n id="5" /> inner thoughts and motives!<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">My enemies ask this cruel question about me,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;When will he finally die and be forgotten?&#8217;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They plan how to hide<n id="2" /> snares,p> <p class="poetry">and boast,<n id="3" /> &#8220;Who will see them?&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">You who love the <sc>Lordsc>, hate evil!p> <p class="poetry">He protects<n id="1" /> the lives of his faithful followers;p> <p class="poetry">he delivers them from the power<n id="2" /> of the wicked.p>

<p class="poetry">May the <sc>Lordsc> repay my accusers in this way,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">those who say evil things about<n id="2" /> me!<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">For the music director; a psalm of David.p> <p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc>, rescue me from wicked men!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Protect me from violent men,<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">A slanderer<n id="1" /> will not endure on<n id="2" /> the earth;p> <p class="poetry">calamity will hunt down a violent man and strike him down.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">A king sitting on the throne to judge<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">separates out<n id="2" /> all evil with his eyes.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do not eat the food of a stingy person,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">do not crave his delicacies;p>

<p class="poetry">Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">or like vinegar poured on soda,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">so is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Like a coating of glaze<n id="1" /> over earthenwarep> <p class="poetry">are fervent<n id="2" /> lips with an evil heart.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Evil people<n id="1" /> do not understand justice,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">but those who seek the <sc>Lordsc><n id="3" /> understand it all.p>

<p class="poetry">The one who leads the upright astray in an evil wayp> <p class="poetry">will himself fall into his own pit,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but the blameless will inherit what is good.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">The stingy person<n id="1" /> hastens after richesp> <p class="poetry">and does not know that poverty will overtake him.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then that wealth was lost through bad luck;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.<n id="2" />p>