Study Desk

"As for me, is my complaint to a mortal? Or why should I not be impatient?

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

"Look at me, and be astonished, And put your hand over your mouth.

Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

"Even when I remember, I am disturbed, And horror takes hold of my flesh.

Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

"Why do the wicked still live, Grow old, and also become very powerful?

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

"Their descendants endure with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes,

Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them.

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

"His ox mates without fail; His cow calves and does not miscarry.

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

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

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

"They sing with the tambourine and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the flute.

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

"They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol.

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

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

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we plead with Him?'

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The advice of the wicked is far from me.

Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

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

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

"Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away?

They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.