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For your incorruptible spirit is in all things.
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Therefore you convict little by little those who fall from the right way,
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For truly the old inhabitants of your holy land,
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hating them because they practiced detestable works of enchantments and unholy rites—
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merciless slaughters of children
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allies in an impious fellowship,
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that the land which in your sight is most precious of all might receive a worthy colony of God’s servants.[a]
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Nevertheless you even spared these as men, and you sent hornets[b] as forerunners of your army,
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Not that you were unable to subdue the ungodly under the hand of the righteous in battle,
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but judging them little by little you gave them a chance to repent,
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For they were a cursed seed from the beginning.
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For who will say, “What have you done?”
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For there isn’t any God beside you that cares for all,
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No king or prince will be able to confront you
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But being righteous, you rule all things righteously,
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For your strength is the source of righteousness,
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For when men don’t believe that you are perfect in power, you show your strength,
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But you, being sovereign in strength, judge in gentleness,
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But you taught your people by such works as these,
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For if on those who were enemies of your servants[c] and deserving of death,
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with how great care you judged your sons,
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Therefore while you chasten us, you scourge our enemies ten thousand times more,
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Therefore also the unrighteous that lived in a life of folly,
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For truly they went astray very far in the ways of error, Taking as gods those animals[d] which even among their enemies were held in dishonor,
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Therefore, as to unreasoning children, you sent your judgment to mock them.
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But those who would not be admonished by mild correction
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For through the sufferings they were indignant of,