Psalms of Solomon 5

1O Lord God, I will praise Thy name with joy, In the midst of them that know Thy righteous judgments.

2For Thou art good and merciful, the refuge of the poor;

3When I cry to Thee, do not silently disregard me.

4For no man taketh spoil from a mighty man;

5Who, then, can take aught of all that Thou hast made, except Thou Thyself givest

6For man and his portion (lie) before Thee in the balance; He cannot add to, so as to enlarge, what has been prescribed by Thee. O God,

7when we are in distress we call upon Thee for help, And Thou dost not turn back our petition, for Thou art our God.

8Cause not Thy hand to be heavy upon us, Lest through necessity we sin.

9Even though Thou restore us not, we will not keep away; But unto Thee will we come.

10For if I hunger, unto Thee will I cry, O God; And Thou wilt give to me.

11Birds and fish dost Thou nourish, In that Thou givest rain to the steppes that green grass may spring up, (So) to prepare fodder in the steppe for every living thing;

12And if they hunger, unto Thee do they lift up their face.

13Kings and rulers and peoples Thou dost nourish, O God; And who is the help of the poor and needy, if not Thou, O Lord

14And Thou wilt hearken -for who is good and gentle but Thou— Making glad the soul of the humble by opening Thine hand in mercy.

15Man's goodness is (bestowed) grudgingly and . . .; And if he repeat (it) without murmuring, even that is marvelous.

16But Thy gift is great in goodness and wealth, And he whose hope is (set) on Thee shall have no lack of gifts.

17Upon the whole earth is Thy mercy, O Lord, in goodness.

18Happy is he whom God remembereth in (granting to him) a due sufficiency;

19If a man abound over much, he sinneth.

20Sufficient are moderate means with righteousness, And hereby the blessing of the Lord (becomes) abundance with righteousness.

21They that fear the Lord rejoice in good (gifts), And Thy goodness is upon Israel in Thy kingdom. Blessed is the glory of the Lord for He is our king.