God

If thou wouldest seek diligently unto God, And make thy supplication to the Almighty;

If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

So are the paths of all that forget God; And the hope of the godless man shall perish:

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?

If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.

He iswise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?—

Himthat removeth the mountains, and they know it not, When he overturneth them in his anger;

Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

Behold, he seizeth the prey, who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.

How much less shall I answer him, And choose out my words to reason with him?

If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.

For he breaketh me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause.

Ifwe speakof strength, lo, he ismighty! And if of justice, Who, saith he, will summon me?

If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; He covereth the faces of the judges thereof: Ifit benothe, who then is it?

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment.

Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his terror make me afraid:

Then would I speak, and not fear him; For I am not so in myself.

I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.

Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, That thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, And shine upon the counsel of the wicked?