<p class="poetry">We do not see any signs of God&#8217;s presence;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">there are no longer any prophets<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and we have no one to tell us how long this will last.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">The bravehearted<n id="1" /> were plundered;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they &#8220;fell asleep.&#8221;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">All the warriors were helpless.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then they will place their confidence in God.p> <p class="poetry">They will not forget the works of God,p> <p class="poetry">and they will obey<n id="1" /> his commands.p>

<p class="poetry">There must be<n id="1" /> no other<n id="2" /> god among you.p> <p class="poetry">You must not worship a foreign god.p>

<p class="poetry">But my people did not obey me;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Israel did not submit to me.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">They<n id="1" /> neither know nor understand.p> <p class="poetry">They stumble<n id="2" /> around in the dark,p> <p class="poetry">while all the foundations of the earth crumble.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">They say, &#8220;Come on, let&#8217;s annihilate them so they are no longer a nation!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Then the name of Israel will be remembered no more.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">O God, arrogant men attack me;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">a gang<n id="2" /> of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">You cause those who know me to keep their distance;p> <p class="poetry">you make me an appalling sight to them.p> <p class="poetry">I am trapped and cannot get free.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">No man can live on without experiencing death,p> <p class="poetry">or deliver his life from the power of Sheol.<n id="1" /> (Selah)p>

<p class="poetry">So they proclaim that the <sc>Lordsc>, my protector,p> <p class="poetry">is just and never unfair.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Acknowledge that the <sc>Lordsc> is God!p> <p class="poetry">He made us and we belong to him;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.p>

<p class="poetry">when he responds to the prayer of the destitute,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and does not reject<n id="2" /> their request.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">but when the hot wind<n id="1" /> blows by, it disappears,p> <p class="poetry">and one can no longer even spot the place where it once grew.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> makes this promise on oath<n id="1" /> and will not revoke it:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;You are an eternal priest<n id="3" /> after the pattern of<n id="4" /> Melchizedek.&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Those who pass by will not say,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;May you experience the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s blessing!p> <p class="poetry">We pronounce a blessing on you in the name of the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">and ears, but cannot hear.p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, they cannot breathe.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">All the days ordained for mep> <p class="poetry">were recorded in your scrollp> <p class="poetry">before one of them came into existence.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">A psalm &#8211; a song used at the dedication of the temple;<n id="2" /> by David.p> <p class="poetry">I will praise you, O <sc>Lordsc>, for you lifted me up,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and did not allow my enemies to gloat<n id="4" /> over me.p>

<p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> promotes<n id="1" /> justice,p> <p class="poetry">and never abandons<n id="2" /> his faithful followers.p> <p class="poetry">They are permanently secure,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">but the children<n id="4" /> of evil men are wiped out.<n id="5" />p>