Study Desk

-"Why ^(C1)do the wicked still live, Grow old, and also become very ^(F1)(C2)powerful?

-"Their ^(F1)(C1)descendants endure with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,

Their houses ^(C1)are safe from fear, And the ^(F1)rod of God is not on them.

-"His ox mates ^(F1)without fail; His cow calves and does not miscarry.

-"They send out their boys like the flock, And their children dance.

-"They ^(F1)sing with the tambourine and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

-"They ^(C1)spend their days in prosperity, And ^(F1)suddenly they go down to ^(F2)Sheol.

-"Yet they say to God, '^(C1)Go away from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

-'^(F1)Who is ^(F2)the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And ^(C1)what would we gain if we plead with Him?'

-"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The ^(C1)advice of the wicked is far from me.

"How often is ^(C1)the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their ^(C2)disaster fall on them? Does ^(F1)God apportion destruction in His anger?

-"Are they as ^(C1)straw before the wind, And like ^(C2)chaff which the storm carries away?

-"You say, '^(C1)God saves up ^(F1)a person's ^(F2)wrongdoing for his sons.' Let ^(F3)God repay him so that he may know it.

-"Let his ^(C1)own eyes see his destruction, And let him ^(C2)drink of the wrath of ^(F1)the Almighty.

-"For what does he care about his household ^(F1)after him, When the number of his months is at an end?

-"Can anyone ^(C1)teach God knowledge, In that He ^(C2)judges those on high?

-"One ^(C1)dies in his full strength, Being wholly undisturbed and at ease;

His ^(F1)sides are filled with fat, And the ^(C1)marrow of his bones is wet,

While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even ^(F1)tasting anything good.

-"Together they ^(C1)lie down in the dust, And ^(C2)maggots cover them.