The real mother ¹  spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. ²  She said, “My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” ³  But the other woman said, “Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!”

So the sovereign master was not pleased ¹  with their young men, he took no pity ²  on their orphans and widows; for the whole nation was godless ³  and did wicked things, ⁴  every mouth was speaking disgraceful words. ⁵  Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again. ⁶ 

Listen attentively, ¹  my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins ²  and the city called by your name. ³  For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, ⁴  but because your compassion is abundant.

You are to put it under the ledge of the altar below, so that the network will come ¹  halfway up the altar. ² 

He made a grating for the altar, a network of bronze under its ledge, halfway up from the bottom.

There the border will turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and then its direction is to the sea. ¹ 

“You have circled around this mountain long enough; now turn north.

Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!” ¹ 

Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor bearers struck Absalom and finished him off.

The waves of death engulfed me; the currents ¹  of chaos ²  overwhelmed me. ³ 

So he sent horses and chariots there, along with a good-sized army. ¹  They arrived during the night and surrounded the city.

know ¹  then that God has wronged me ²  and encircled ³  me with his net. ⁴ 

He marks out the horizon ¹  on the surface of the waters as a boundary between light and darkness.

The countries are assembled all around you; ¹  take once more your rightful place over them! ² 

Protect me from ¹  the wicked men who attack ²  me, my enemies who crowd around me for the kill. ³ 

They attack me, now they surround me; ¹  they intend to throw me to the ground. ² 

Many bulls ¹  surround me; powerful bulls of Bashan ²  hem me in.

I maintain a pure lifestyle, ¹  so I can appear before your altar, ²  O Lord,

All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, ¹  and his children ²  are blessed.

Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, ¹  when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me? ²