And say to My servants, that they say words that are kindlier. For surely Satan provokes strife between them, and Satan is ever a manifest foe to man. 53 Your Lord knows you best; He will have mercy on you if He pleases, or He will chastise you if He pleases; and We have not sent you as being in charge of them. 54 Your Lord knows all who dwell in the heavens and the earth. We have exalted some Prophets over others, and We gave the Psalms to David. 55 Call upon those you claim to be deities besides God and you will know that they have no power to remove affliction from you or to bring about any change [that you may desire]. 56 Those whom they invoke seek means of access to their Lord, [striving as to] which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is ever feared. 57 Not a town is there but We are going to destroy it before the Day of Judgment or to torment it with a severe torment; that is in the Book inscribed. 58 And We remained constrained from sending such signs, because the former people denied them; and We gave the Thamud the she-camel for enlightenment, so they oppressed it; and We do not send such signs except to warn. 59 And recall what time We said unto thee: verily thy Lord hath encompassed mankind. And We made the vision We shewed thee but a temptation for men, and likewise the tree accurst in the Qur'an. And We frighten them, but it only increaseth them in exorbitance great. 60