But, O Jehovah of Hosts, who judges righteously, who tries the mind and the heart, let me see Your vengeance on them. For to You I have laid open my cause.

Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a Mighty God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.

Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done evil in Your sight; that You might be found just when You speak, and pure when You judge.

I know, O Jehovah, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

TZADDI: Righteous are You, O Jehovah, and upright are Your judgments.

Jehovah is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works.

O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us the shame of face, as it is this day to the men of Judah, and to those living in Jerusalem, and to all Israel, who are near and who are afar in all the lands where You have driven them for their unfaithfulness which they have trespassed against You.

You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and You are not able to look upon vexation. Why do you look on those who deal deceitfully? Will You be silent when the wicked swallows one more righteous than he?

They take up all of them with the hook; they drag them with the net and gather them with the dragnet. On account of this they rejoice and exult.

Shall they therefore empty their net, and shall they not spare to continually slay nations?

The righteous Jehovah is in her midst; He will do no wrong. Every morning He gives His justice to the light; He does not fail, but the unjust knows no shame.

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who lays on wrath? (I speak as a man.)

Let it not be! Otherwise, how will God judge the world?

But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue with the Mighty God.

Present your case, says Jehovah; approach to argue your defense, says the King of Jacob.

They have grown fat, they gleam. Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may get rich; and they do not judge the right of the needy.

The tents of plunderers prosper, and those who provoke the Mighty God are secure, as God brings into his hand.

Why do the wicked live and become old, yea, and become mighty in power?

Their houses are at peace, without dread; neither is the rod of God upon them.

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

They spend their days in prosperity, and in a moment go down to Sheol.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we entreat Him?

i1 [A Psalm of David.] i0 par Do not fret yourself over evil doers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

I have seen the wicked, ruthless, and spreading himself like a luxuriant native tree.

For I was jealous of the boastful, when I saw the peace of the wicked.

They are not in trouble like other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

Their eyes bulge with fatness; they have more than the heart could imagine.

They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongues walk through the earth.

And they say, How does the Mighty God know? and, Is there knowledge in the Most High?

Surely I have made my heart pure in vain, and washed my hands in innocence.

If I had said, I will speak thus; behold, I would have deceived a generation of Your sons.

until I went into the sanctuary of the Mighty God; then I understood their end.

How have they been brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are fully brought to an end with destruction,

For my heart was grieved and I was pierced to the core.

Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have held me by my right hand.

Whom have I in Heaven besides You? And there is no one I desire on earth.

For lo, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who go whoring away from You.

When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity blossom, it is that they may be destroyed forever.

Jehovah, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?

They belch forth, and speak arrogant things; all the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.

For the turning away of the simple kills them, and the ease of fools destroys them.

On account of this the law has become feeble, and justice does not continue to go forth. For the wicked surrounds the righteous, so justice goes forth, perverted.

And now we are calling the arrogant blessed. Those that work wickedness are built up; they even test God, and escape.

For even your brothers and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you. Yea, they have called out a multitude after you. Do not believe them, though they speak pleasant things to you.

For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against Me, says Jehovah.

Surely you did not hear, surely you did not know; surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deceive with treachery, and were called a transgressor from the womb.

But, like Adam, they have transgressed the covenant; they have dealt treacherously against Me there.