For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?
   [The Lord says:] "If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the lands, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land . . ."
   The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. For the wicked shall not rule the godly, lest the godly be forced to do wrong. Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it. Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of Your kingdom. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; love and faithfulness go before You.
   Mighty warrior, why do you brag about the evil you do? God's love will continue forever. You think up evil plans. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, making up lies. You love wrong more than right and lies more than truth. You love words that bite and tongues that lie. But God will ruin you forever. He will grab you and throw you out of your tent. He will tear you away from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, "Look what happened to the man who did not depend on God. Instead, he depended on his money. He grew strong by his evil plans."
   For surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield. I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies - make straight Your way before me.

Taken from Ps. 11, II Chr. 7, Ps. 37, 125, 94, 45, 89, 52, 7, 5, The New International
Version, The New American Standard, The Living Bible and The Everyday Bible.
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