A Prayer for Justice
1 O Lord, my God, I come to you for protection;
rescue me and save me from all who pursue me,
2 or else like a lion they will carry me off
where no one can save me,
and there they will tear me to pieces.
3-4 O Lord, my God, if I have wronged anyone,
if I have betrayed a friend
or without cause done violence to my enemy —
if I have done any of these things—
5 then let my enemies pursue me and catch me,
let them cut me down and kill me
and leave me lifeless on the ground!
6 Rise in your anger, O Lord!
Stand up against the fury of my enemies;
rouse yourself and help me!
Justice is what you demand,
7 so bring together all the peoples around you,
and rule over them from above.
8 You are the judge of all people.
Judge in my favor, O Lord;
you know that I am innocent.
9 You are a righteous God
and judge our thoughts and desires.
Stop the wickedness of evildoers
and reward those who are good.
10 God is my protector;
he saves those who obey him.
11 God is a righteous judge
and always condemns the wicked.
12 If they do not change their ways,
God will sharpen his sword.
He bends his bow and makes it ready;
13 he takes up his deadly weapons
and aims his burning arrows.
14 See how wicked people think up evil;
they plan trouble and practice deception.
15 But in the traps they set for others,
they themselves get caught.
16 So they are punished by their own evil
and are hurt by their own violence.
17 I thank the Lord for his justice;
I sing praises to the Lord, the Most High.
Kungs – taisns tiesnesis
1 Dāvida psalms , ko viņš dziedājis Kungam – par Kūšu no Benjāmina cilts.
2 Kungs, mans Dievs, pie tevis es tveros,
atpestī un glāb mani no vajātājiem,
3 ka tie kā lauva nesaplēš mani,
ka neaizrauj prom –
bet glābēja nav!
4 Kungs, mans Dievs, ja es darījis to –
ja manas rokas nesušas ļaunu,
5 ja es atmaksājis labu ar ļaunu
vai naidnieku aplaupījis aplam,
6 tad lai pretinieks vajā mani un panāk,
lai manu dzīvību iemin zemē,
lai mani pamet pīšļos!
7 Celies jel, Kungs, savās dusmās,
sacelies pret manu naidnieku negantumu,
mosties un lem tiesu pār mani!
8 Tautas lai pulcējas ap tevi,
atgriezies augstumos pār tām.
9 Kungs tiesā tautas!
Spried man tiesu, Kungs,
pēc manas taisnības
un pēc mana krietnuma.
10 Kaut mitētos ļaundaru ļaundarība!
Stiprini taisno, jo tu pārbaudi prātus un sirdis,
tu esi taisnais Dievs!
11 Mans vairogs pie Dieva,
kas sirdsskaidros pestī,
12 pie Dieva, tā taisnā Soģa,
pie Dieva, kas nosoda vienumēr.
13 Ja kāds neatgriežas,
viņš savu zobenu trin,
loks viņam uzvilkts un pacelts,
14 viņš tam sataisījis nāvējošus ieročus,
degošas bultas viņš sagatavojis!
15 Redzi, ļaunu tas ieņem
un posta grūts,
un melus dzemdē.
16 Tas bedri rok un dziļu kaš,
un iekrīt akā, ko pats racis.
17 Pūliņi nāk atpakaļ pār viņu pašu
un varmācība krīt pār viņa galvu.
18 Es pateikšos Kungam par viņa taisnību
un dziedāšu visaugstā Kunga vārdam.
