God

For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.

To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the land,

to deny a man justice before the Most High,

to subvert a man in his lawsuit— of these the Lord does not approve.

Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?

Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?

Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.

Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:

“We have sinned and rebelled; You have not forgiven.”

You have covered Yourself in anger and pursued us; You have killed without pity.

You have covered Yourself with a cloud that no prayer can pass through.

until the LORD looks down from heaven and sees.

I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the depths of the Pit.

You heard my plea: “Do not ignore my cry for relief.”

You drew near when I called on You; You said, “Do not be afraid.”

You defend my cause, O Lord; You redeem my life.

You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me; vindicate my cause!

O LORD, You have heard their insults, all their plots against me—

You will pay them back what they deserve, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.

Put a veil of anguish over their hearts; may Your curse be upon them!

You will pursue them in anger and exterminate them from under Your heavens, O LORD.

The LORD has exhausted His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations.

The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor.

The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”

O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not prolong your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.