Rise, LORD God Almighty, and come to my aid; see for yourself, God of Israel! Wake up and punish the heathen; show no mercy to evil traitors!

Listen to their insults and threats. Their tongues are like swords in their mouths, yet they think that no one hears them.

I have confidence in your strength; you are my refuge, O God.

Do not kill them, O God, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your strength and defeat them, O Lord, our protector.

destroy them in your anger; destroy them completely. Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel, that his rule extends over all the earth.

Keep a record of all their sins; don't let them have any part in your salvation.

May the LORD remember the evil of his ancestors and never forgive his mother's sins.

But, LORD, you know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their evil or pardon their sin. Throw them down in defeat and deal with them while you are angry."

Alexander the metalworker did me great harm; the Lord will reward him according to what he has done.

Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love. Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins!

Close your eyes to my sins and wipe out all my evil.

And yet, I am the God who forgives your sins, and I do this because of who I am. I will not hold your sins against you.

I have swept your sins away like a cloud. Come back to me; I am the one who saves you."

Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah told the official, "Speak Aramaic to us. We understand it. Don't speak Hebrew; all the people on the wall are listening."

He replied, "Do you think you and the king are the only ones the emperor sent me to say all these things to? No, I am also talking to the people who are sitting on the wall, who will have to eat their excrement and drink their urine, just as you will."