1  Answer me when I call, O God of my ^frighteousness!

You have ^ggiven me relief when I was in distress.

Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

2  O men,¹ how long shall my honor be turned into shame?

How long will you love vain words and seek after ^hlies? Selah

3  But know that the Lord has ⁱset apart ^jthe godly for himself;

the Lord hears when I call to him.

4  ^kBe angry,² and do not sin;

^lponder in your own hearts ^mon your beds, and be silent. Selah

5  Offer ⁿright sacrifices,

and put your ^otrust in the Lord.

6  There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?

^pLift up ^qthe light of your face upon us, O Lord!”

7  You have put ^rmore joy in my heart

than they have when their grain and wine abound.

8  In peace I will both ^slie down and sleep;

for you alone, O Lord, make me ^tdwell in safety.

2  “Should ^ea multitude of words go unanswered,

and a man full of talk be judged right?

3  Should your babble silence men,

and when you mock, shall no one shame you?

4  For ^fyou say, ‘My ^gdoctrine is pure,

and I am clean in God’s¹ eyes.’

5  But oh, that God would speak

and open his lips to you,

6  and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!

For he is manifold in ^hunderstanding.²

Know then that God ⁱexacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

7  ^j“Can you find out the deep things of God?

Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?

8  It is ^khigher than heaven³—what can you do?

Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

9  Its measure is longer than the earth

and broader than the sea.

10  If he ^lpasses through and ^mimprisons

and summons the court, who can ⁿturn him back?

11  For he knows ^oworthless men;

when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?

12  But a stupid man will get understanding

when ^pa wild donkey’s colt is ^qborn a man!

13  “If you ^rprepare your heart,

you will ^sstretch out your hands toward him.

14  If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,

and let not injustice dwell in your tents.

15  Surely then you will ^tlift up your face without ^ublemish;

you will be secure and will not fear.

16  You will ^vforget your misery;

you will remember it as waters that have passed away.

17  And your life will be ^wbrighter than the noonday;

its darkness will be like the morning.

18  And you will feel secure, because there is hope;

you will look around and ^xtake your rest in security.

19  You will ^xlie down, and none will make you afraid;

many will ^ycourt your favor.

20  But ^zthe eyes of the wicked will fail;

all way of escape will be lost to them,

and their hope is ^ato breathe their last.”