I wish death would take my enemies by surprise! I wish the earth would open up and swallow them alive, because they plan such terrible things together.
Yes, you must show mercy to others. If you do not show mercy, then God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the one who shows mercy can stand without fear before the Judge.
This is what the Lord says: “Israel, you are like the Ethiopians to me. I brought Israel out of the land of Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Arameans from Kir.”
Lord, you know about their plans to kill me. So don’t forgive their crimes or erase their sins. Make them fall down in defeat. Punish them in your anger!
The vines will become dry, and the branches will break off. Women will use them for firewood. The people refuse to understand. So God, their Maker, will not comfort them or be kind to them.
Don’t worship or serve idols of any kind, because I, the Lord, am your God. I hate my people worshiping other gods. People who sin against me become my enemies, and I will punish them. And I will punish their children, their grandchildren, and even their great-grandchildren.
And God said, “Tell the Israelites that you were sent by YAHWEH, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. This will always be my name. It is how I want the people to remember me from now on.
The supervisors, prefects, satraps, advisors, and governors have all agreed on something. We think that the king should make this law and that everyone must obey it: For the next 30 days, whoever prays to any god or man except you, King, will be thrown into the lions’ den.