God warns people so he can save them\par from going to the place of death. {\cf2\super [72]} \par God does that to save a person\par from being destroyed.\par
Lord, you are my Rock, {\cf2\super [168]} \par I am calling to you for help.\par Don’t close your ears to my prayers.\par If you don’t answer my calls for help,\par then people will think I am no better\par than the dead people in the grave.\par
I said, “God, what good is it if I die\par and go down into the grave?\par Dead people just lie in the dirt!\par They don’t praise you.\par They don’t tell people\par how much we can depend on you.\par
I wish death would take\par my enemies by surprise!\par I wish the earth would open up\par and swallow them alive! {\cf2\super [329]} \par Why? Because they plan\par such terrible things together.\par
But that did not happen.\par You did not go to the sky with God.\par You were brought down to the deep pit—\par Sheol, {\cf2\super [151]} the place of death.\par
Look! My troubles are gone!\par I now have peace.\par You love me very much.\par You did not let me rot in the grave.\par \{You forgave all my sins.\}\par You threw my sins far away.\par
Nebuchadnezzar’s men will take away your riches. They will take the things you wanted to sell. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. They will throw your stones and wood \{houses\} into the sea like garbage.
That person will kill you.\par Will you still say, “I am a god”?\par No! He will have you in his power.\par You will see that you are a man, not God!\par