57 The
righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are
taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the
evil to come. 2 He
shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking
in his uprightness. 3 But
draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer
and the whore. 4 Against
whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw
out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood. 5 Enflaming
yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in
the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? 6 Among
the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot:
even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat
offering. Should I receive comfort in these? 7 Upon
a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest
thou up to offer sacrifice. 8 Behind
the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou
hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast
enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their
bed where thou sawest it. 9 And
thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes,
and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto
hell. 10 Thou
art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is
no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not
grieved.
11
And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast
not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even
of old, and thou fearest me not? 12 I will declare thy righteousness, and
thy works; for they shall not profit thee. 13 When thou criest, let thy companies
deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take
them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall
inherit my holy mountain; 14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up,
prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. 15 For thus saith the high and lofty One
that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy
place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive
the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16 For I will not contend for ever, neither
will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls
which I have made. 17 For the iniquity of his covetousness
was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly
in the way of his heart. 18 I have seen his ways, and will heal
him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. 19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace,
peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and
I will heal him. 20 But the wicked are like the troubled
sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace, saith my God, to
the wicked.