he tore down the altars and Asherah poles, demolished the idols, and smashed all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Now when Mordecai became aware of all that had been done, he ¹  tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out into the city, crying out in a loud ²  and bitter voice.

They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone, ¹  they are brought low ²  like all others, and gathered in, ³  and like a head of grain they are cut off.’ ⁴ 

Its underparts ¹  are the sharp points of potsherds, it leaves its mark in the mud like a threshing sledge. ² 

when they prayed: ¹  “Have mercy on me, ²  Lord! See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, ³  O one who can snatch me away ⁴  from the gates of death!

He delivers me ¹  from my enemies; you snatch me away ²  from those who attack me; ³  you rescue me from violent men.

The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life. ¹  The rules set down by the Lord ²  are reliable ³  and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. ⁴ 

My strength drains away like water; ¹  all my bones are dislocated; my heart ²  is like wax; it melts away inside me.

Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down ¹  the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly. ² 

He lifted me out of the watery pit, ¹  out of the slimy mud. ²  He placed my feet on a rock and gave me secure footing. ³ 

when you deliver ¹  my life from death. You keep my feet from stumbling, ²  so that I might serve ³  God as I enjoy life. ⁴ 

I have leaned on you since birth; ¹  you pulled me ²  from my mother’s womb. I praise you continually. ³ 

Do not reject me in my old age! ¹  When my strength fails, do not abandon me!

Help us, O God, our deliverer! For the sake of your glorious reputation, ¹  rescue us! Forgive our sins for the sake of your reputation! ² 

Reach down ¹  from above! Grab me and rescue me from the surging water, ²  from the power of foreigners, ³ 

Suddenly he went ¹  after her like an ox that goes to the slaughter, like a stag prancing into a trapper’s snare ² 

when those who keep watch over the house ¹  begin to tremble, ²  and the virile men begin to stoop over, ³  and the grinders ⁴  begin to cease because they grow few, and those who look through the windows grow dim, ⁵ 

I arose to open for my beloved; my hands dripped with myrrh – my fingers flowed with myrrh on the handles of the lock.

At that time ¹  the Lord will remove their burden from your shoulders, ²  and their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be taken off because your neck will be too large. ³ 

A baby ¹  will play over the hole of a snake; ²  over the nest ³  of a serpent an infant ⁴  will put his hand. ⁵