With allmy heartI have soughtYou; Do not let me wanderfrom Your commandments.
AllJudahrejoicedconcerningthe oath,for they had swornwith their wholeheartand had soughtHim earnestly,and He let them findHim. So the LORDgavethem reston everyside.
You have rejectedallthose who wanderfrom Your statutes,For their deceitfulnessis useless.
Establishmy footstepsin Your word,And do not let anyiniquityhavedominionover me.
I have goneastraylike a lostsheep;seekYour servant,For I do not forgetYour commandments.
How blessedare those who observeHis testimonies,Who seekHim with all[their] heart.
You rebukethe arrogant,the cursed,Who wanderfrom Your commandments.
Giveme understanding,that I may observeYour lawAnd keepit with all[my] heart.
I soughtYour favorwith all[my] heart;Be graciousto me according to Your word.
The arroganthave forgeda lieagainstme; With all[my] heartI will observeYour precepts.
But as for those who turnasideto their crookedways,The LORDwill leadthem away with the doersof iniquity.Peacebe upon Israel.
He restoresmy soul;He guidesme in the pathsof righteousnessFor His name'ssake.
For their heartwas not steadfasttowardHim, Norwere they faithfulin His covenant.
From those who leavethe pathsof uprightnessTo walkin the waysof darkness;
A manwho wandersfrom the wayof understandingWill restin the assemblyof the dead.
A highwaywill be there,a roadway,And it will be calledthe Highwayof Holiness.The uncleanwill not travelon it, But it [will] be for him who walks[that] way,And foolswill not wander[on it].
"Yetin spite of allthisher treacheroussisterJudahdid not returnto Me with allher heart,but ratherin deception,"declaresthe LORD.
"My flockwanderedthrough allthe mountainsand on everyhighhill;My flockwas scatteredoverallthe surfaceof the earth,and therewas nooneto searchor seek[for them]."'"
Their heartis faithless;Nowthey must beartheir guilt.The LORD will breakdowntheir altars[And] destroytheir [sacred] pillars.
"No onecanservetwomasters;for eitherhe will hatethe oneand lovethe other,orhe will be devotedto oneand despisethe other.You cannotserveGodand wealth.
Slaves,in all thingsobeythosewho are your masterson earth,not with external service,as those who [merely] please men,but with sincerityof heart,fearingthe Lord.
Do not lovethe worldnorthe things in the world.Ifanyonelovesthe world,the loveof the Fatheris not in him.
Then Samuelspoketo allthe houseof Israel,saying,"Ifyou returnto the LORDwith allyour heart,removethe foreigngodsand the Ashtarothfrom amongyou and directyour heartsto the LORDand serveHim alone;and He will deliveryou from the handof the Philistines."
