I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.’” ¹ 

I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”’” ¹ 

and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city.”’”

Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! ¹  Vindicate the oppressed and suffering!

Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! ¹  Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow! ² 

Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, ¹  and plead the cause ²  of the poor and needy.

He will defend ¹  the oppressed among the people; he will deliver ²  the children ³  of the poor and crush the oppressor.

Rise up, O God! Defend your honor! ¹  Remember how fools insult you all day long! ² 

Even if he slays me, I will hope in him; ¹  I will surely ²  defend ³  my ways to his face!

Your officials are rebels, ¹  they associate with ²  thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for ³  payoffs. ⁴  They do not take up the cause of the orphan, ⁵  or defend the rights of the widow. ⁶ 

That is how ¹  they have grown fat and sleek. ²  There is no limit to the evil things they do. ³  They do not plead the cause of the fatherless in such a way as to win it. They do not defend the rights of the poor.

For the music director; a psalm of David. May the Lord answer ²  you ³  when you are in trouble; ⁴  may the God of Jacob ⁵  make you secure!

Vindicate me, O God! Fight for me ²  against an ungodly nation! Deliver me ³  from deceitful and evil men! ⁴ 

Just as birds hover over a nest, ¹  so the Lord who commands armies will protect Jerusalem. ²  He will protect and deliver it; as he passes over ³  he will rescue it.

I will add fifteen years to your life and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”’” ¹ 

Fight for me ¹  and defend me! ²  Revive me with your word!

Therefore be resolved ¹  not to rehearse ²  ahead of time how to make your defense.

But when they bring you before the synagogues, ¹  the ²  rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense ³  or what you should say,

The Lord who rules over all will guard them, and they will prevail and overcome with sling stones. Then they will drink, and will become noisy like drunkards, ¹  full like the sacrificial basin or like the corners of the altar. ² 

I answered them ¹  that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone ²  before the accused had met his accusers face to face ³  and had been given ⁴  an opportunity to make a defense against the accusation. ⁵