I will maintain my righteousness and never let it go; my conscience ¹  will not reproach me for as long as I live. ² 

As for the Almighty, ¹  we cannot attain to him! He is great in power, but justice ²  and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.

He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation.

I was once young, now I am old. I have never seen a godly man abandoned, or his children ¹  forced to search for food. ² 

Appear in your majesty and be victorious! ¹  Ride forth for the sake of what is right, ²  on behalf of justice! ³  Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts! ⁴ 

The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth is worthy of your reputation, O God. ¹  You execute justice! ² 

Rescue me from the guilt of murder, ¹  O God, the God who delivers me! Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance. ² 

Throw your burden ¹  upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. ²  He will never allow the godly to be upended. ³ 

You answer our prayers by performing awesome acts of deliverance, O God, our savior. ¹  All the ends of the earth trust in you, ²  as well as those living across the wide seas. ³ 

Free me ¹  from prison, that I may give thanks to your name. Because of me the godly will assemble, ²  for you will vindicate me. ³ 

Give instruction ¹  to a wise person, ²  and he will become wiser still; teach ³  a righteous person and he will add to his ⁴  learning.

A benevolent ¹  person leaves an inheritance ²  for his grandchildren, ³  but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous. ⁴ 

I saw something else on earth: ¹  In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, ²  there was wickedness.

Then a trustworthy king will be established; he will rule in a reliable manner, this one from David’s family. ¹  He will be sure to make just decisions and will be experienced in executing justice. ² 

I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, ¹  it does not wait. I will save Zion; ²  I will adorn Israel with my splendor.” ³ 

“Listen to me, you who pursue godliness, ¹  who seek the Lord! Look at the rock from which you were chiseled, at the quarry ²  from which you were dug! ³ 

For a moth will eat away at them like clothes; a clothes moth will devour them like wool. But the vindication I provide ¹  will be permanent; the deliverance I give will last.”

For this reason deliverance ¹  is far from us ²  and salvation does not reach us. We wait for light, ³  but see only darkness; ⁴  we wait for ⁵  a bright light, ⁶  but live ⁷  in deep darkness. ⁸ 

You must be truthful, honest and upright when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ ¹  If you do, ²  the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are and will make him the object of their boasting.” ³ 

Now ¹  there was a man in Jerusalem ²  named Simeon who was righteous ³  and devout, looking for the restoration ⁴  of Israel, and the Holy Spirit ⁵  was upon him.