¹⁶ Then the Lord raised up judges,^[a](A) who saved^(B) them out of the hands of these raiders. ¹⁷ Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted^(C) themselves to other gods^(D) and worshiped them.^(E) They quickly turned^(F) from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.^{(G) 18} Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved^(H) them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented^(I) because of their groaning^(J) under those who oppressed and afflicted^(K) them.

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

⁹ “But they forgot^(A) the Lord their God; so he sold them^(B) into the hand of Sisera,^(C) the commander of the army of Hazor,^(D) and into the hands of the Philistines^(E) and the king of Moab,^(F) who fought against them. ¹⁰ They cried^(G) out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken^(H) the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths.^(I) But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ ¹¹ Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal,^[a](J) Barak,^[b](K) Jephthah^(L) and Samuel,^[c](M) and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.

¹⁹ Not a blacksmith^(A) could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!^(B)”

⁵ They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts.^(A) It was impossible to count them or their camels;^(B) they invaded the land to ravage it.