A Prayer

1Our God, you rule all things;

have mercy on us

2and show all nations

that they should fear you.

3Let them see your power

as you attack them.

4They have seen that you are holy

in the way you treat us.

Now show us that you are great

as you deal with them!

5Teach them, our Lord,

as you taught us,

that you alone are God.

6Perform new miracles,

7so that everyone will know

how powerful you are.

8Get really angry

9and destroy our enemies.

10You have set a time to do this--

please let it come quickly,

then everyone will be talking

about your mighty power.

11And if any survive of those

who had harmed your people,

destroy those enemies

with your fiery anger.

12Crush the heads of their rulers

who say, "All that matters

is what we want to do."

13Gather together

the tribes of Israel,

16and once again give them

control of their land.

17Have pity on us, our Lord.

We are known as your nation,

your first-born child.

18Show mercy to Jerusalem,

your holy city, your home.

19Then everyone in Zion

will celebrate as they tell

of your mighty deeds.

20Prove that you chose us

as your people.

You told your prophets

to make promises to us;

now keep these promises

21so your prophets

will not have lied.

Please reward us

for waiting patiently.

22Our Lord, we are your servants.

If you are pleased with us,

answer our prayer,

and then the whole world

will know that you

are the Eternal Lord God.

Recognizing Lies

23There are many different foods,

but you like some

better than others.

24And just as your taste tells you

what you are eating,

a smart mind will know

when it hears a lie.

25People with twisted minds

cause a lot of trouble,

but if you learn from experience

you can send the trouble

back on them.

Choosing a Wife

26A woman cannot choose

the man she will marry,

but a man can choose his wife,

and some women

make better wives than others.

27Beauty is important to men,

and most men would be happy

to marry a beautiful woman.

28But a man is really lucky

if his wife speaks

with humility and kindness.

29The most important thing

a man can have

is a wife who helps him

and is a suitable partner.

30Without a fence around a home,

robbers can steal

whatever they want.

And without a wife,

a man wanders aimlessly,

31homeless, spending the night

wherever he can,

trusted no more than a thief

who is always on the run.