A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray. | And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there. |
Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble. | Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless! |
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Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. | So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. |
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. | And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins. |
The way of the Lord is strength for the upright, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. | The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked. |
Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death. | Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life. |
He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known. | People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed. |
We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. | But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. |
Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. | Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways. Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly. |
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. | So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. |
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. | So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. |
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. | Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. |
Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. | You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. |