For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you.

because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.

The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the  Lord was my support.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the  Lord was my support.

‘Therefore this is what the  Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

‘“He will not enter this city
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.

“Therefore thus says the  Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it.

because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)

for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Why were there knees to receive me
and breasts that I might be nursed?

Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?

The churning inside me never stops;
days of suffering confront me.

My inward parts are in turmoil and never still;
days of affliction come to meet me.

Who has a claim against me that I must pay?
Everything under heaven belongs to me.

Who has first given to me, that I should repay him?
Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

Rise up,  Lord, confront them, bring them down;
with your sword rescue me from the wicked.

Arise, O  Lord! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,

The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the  Lord was my support.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the  Lord was my support.

You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.

For you meet him with rich blessings;
you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.

my God on whom I can rely.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the young women playing the tambourines.

the singers in front the musicians last,
between them virgins playing tambourines:

Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
for we are in desperate need.

Do not remember against us our former iniquities;
let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
for we are brought very low.

But I cry to you for help,  Lord;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.

But I, O  Lord, cry to you;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
love and faithfulness go before you.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I have put my hope in your word.

I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in your words.

My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promises.

My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.

Do I not hate those who hate you,  Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?

Do I not hate those who hate you, O  Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?

‘Therefore this is what the  Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

‘He will not enter this city
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.

“Therefore thus says the  Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it.

All the sinners among my people
will die by the sword,
all those who say,
“Disaster will not overtake or meet us.”

All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword,
who say ‘Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.’

He prayed to the  Lord, ‘Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

And he prayed to the  Lord and said, “O  Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.

With what shall I come before the  Lord
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?

“With what shall I come before the  Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?