9
Of Solomon. For rebuke.
1 When Israel was led away captive into a strange land,
When they fell away from the Lord who redeemed them,
They were cast away from the inheritance, which the Lord had given them.
2 Among every nation were the dispersed of Israel according to the word of God,
That thou mightest be justified, O God, in thy righteousness by reason of our transgressions:
For thou art a just judge over all the peoples of the earth.
3 For from thy knowledge none that doeth unjustly is hidden,
And the righteous deeds of thy pious ones are before thee, O Lord;
Where, then, can a man hide himself from thy knowledge, O God?
4 Our works are subject to our own choice and power,
To do right or wrong in the works of our hands;
And in thy righteousness thou visitest the sons of men.
5 He that doeth righteousness layeth up life for himself with the Lord;
And he that doeth wrongly forfeiteth his life to destruction;
For the judgments of the Lord are given in righteousness to every man and his house.
6 Unto whom art thou good, O God, except to them that call upon the Lord?
He cleanseth from sins a soul when it maketh confession, when it maketh acknowledgement;
For shame is upon us and upon our faces on account of all these things.
7 And to whom doth he forgive sins, except to them that have sinned?
Thou blessest the righteous, and dost not reprove them for the sins that they have committed;
And thy goodness is upon them that sin, when they repent.
8 And, now, thou art our God, and we the people whom thou hast loved:
Behold and show pity, O God of Israel, for we are thine;
And remove not thy mercy from us, lest they assail us.
9 For thou didst choose the seed of Abraham before all the nations,
And didst set thy name upon us, O Lord,
And thou wilt not reject us forever.
10 Thou madest a covenant with our fathers concerning us;
And we hope in thee, when our soul turneth unto thee.
11 The mercy of the Lord be upon the house of Israel forever and ever.