Study Desk

"Surely, God does not reject a blameless man, nor does he grasp the hand of the evildoers.

"Truly, I know that this is so. But how can a human be just before God?

God does not restrain his anger; under him the helpers of Rahab lie crushed.

I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; tell me why you are contending with me.'

But if only God would speak, if only he would open his lips against you,

and reveal to you the secrets of wisdom— for true wisdom has two sides— so that you would know that God has forgiven some of your sins.

"Can you discover the essence of God? Can you find out the perfection of the Almighty?

I am a laughingstock to my friends, I, who called on God and whom he answered— a righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock!

But the tents of robbers are peaceful, and those who provoke God are confident— who carry their god in their hands.

"With God are wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.

But I wish to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.

Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?

Only in two things spare me, O God, and then I will not hide from your face:

But you even break off piety, and hinder meditation before God.

when you turn your rage against God and allow such words to escape from your mouth?

If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,

for he stretches out his hand against God, and vaunts himself against the Almighty,

God abandons me to evil men, and throws me into the hands of wicked men.

My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;

and he contends with God on behalf of man as a man pleads for his friend.