XV.

The psalmist restates the great philosophy of Right and Wrong.

When I was in distress I called upon the name of the Lord,
I hoped for the help of the God of Jacob and was saved;
For the hope and refuge of the poor art Thou, O God.
For who, O God, is strong except to give thanks unto Thee in truth?
And wherein is a man powerful except in giving thanks to Thy name?
A new psalm with song in gladness of heart,
The fruit of the lips with the well-tuned instrument of the tongue,
The first fruits of the lips from a pious and righteous heart--
He that offereth these things shall never be shaken by evil;
The flame of fire and the wrath against the unrighteous shall not touch him,
When it goeth forth from the face of the Lord against sinners,
To destroy all the substance of sinners,
For the mark of God is upon the righteous that they may be saved.

Famine and sword and pestilence shall be far from the righteous,
For they shall flee away from the pious as men pursued in war;
But they shall pursue sinners and overtake them,
And they that do lawlessness shall not escape the judgement of God;
As by enemies experienced in war shall they be overtaken,
For the mark of destruction is upon their forehead.
And the inheritance of sinners is destruction and darkness,
And their iniquities shall pursue them unto Sheol beneath.
Their inheritance shall not be found of their children,
For sins shall lay waste the houses of sinners.
And sinners shall perish for ever in the day of the Lord's judgement,
When God visiteth the earth with His judgement.
But they that fear the Lord shall find mercy therein,
And shall live by the compassion of their God;
But sinners shall perish for ever.