Another Song of Praise
1At that time a song will be sung in the land of Judah. It will say,
“We have a strong city.
God’s saving power surrounds it
like walls and towers.
2Open its gates
so that those who do what is right can enter.
They are the people who remain faithful to God.
3Lord, you will give perfect peace
to those who commit themselves to be faithful to you.
That’s because they trust in you.
4“Trust in the Lord forever.
The Lord himself is the Rock.
The Lord will keep us safe forever.
5He brings down those who are proud.
He pulls down cities that have high walls.
They fall down flat on the ground.
He throws them down to the dust.
6The feet of those who were treated badly stomp on them.
Those who were poor walk all over them.”
7The path of godly people is level.
You are the God who does what is right.
You make their way smooth.
8Lord, we are living the way your laws command us to live.
We are waiting for you to act.
We want your honor and fame to be known.
9My heart longs for you at night.
My spirit longs for you in the morning.
You will come and judge the earth.
Then the people of the world will learn to do what is right.
10Sometimes grace is shown to sinful people.
But they still don’t learn to do what is right.
They keep on doing evil even in a land where others are honest and fair.
They don’t have any respect for the majesty of the Lord.
11Lord, you have raised your hand high to punish them.
But they don’t even see it.
Let them see how much you love your people.
Then they will be put to shame.
Let the fire you are saving for your enemies burn them up.
12Lord, you give us peace.
You are the one who has done everything we’ve accomplished.
13Lord, you are our God.
Other masters besides you have ruled over us.
But your name is the only one we honor.
14Those other masters are now dead.
They will never live again.
Their spirits won’t rise from the dead.
You punished them and destroyed them.
You wiped out all memory of them.
15Lord, you have made our nation grow.
You have made it larger.
You have gained glory for yourself.
You have increased the size of our land.
16Lord, when your people were suffering, they came to you.
When you punished them,
they could barely whisper a prayer.
17Lord, you made us like a woman who is about to have a baby.
She groans and cries out in pain.
18We were pregnant and groaned with pain.
But nothing was born.
We didn’t bring your saving power to the earth.
And the people of the world have not come to life.
19Lord, your people who have died will live again.
Their bodies will rise from the dead.
Let those who lie in the grave
wake up and shout for joy.
You give life, Lord, like the dew of the morning.
So the earth will give up its dead people.
20My people, go into your houses.
Shut the doors behind you.
Hide yourselves for a little while.
Do it until the Lord’s anger is over.
21He is coming from the place where he lives.
He will punish the people of the earth for their sins.
The blood spilled on the earth will be brought out into the open.
The ground will no longer hide those who have been killed.
1In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.26.2 truth: Heb. truths 3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.26.3 perfect…: Heb. peace, peace26.3 mind: or, thought, or, imagination 4Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:26.4 everlasting…: Heb. the rock of ages
5¶ For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. 6The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. 7The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. 8Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 10Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. 11LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.26.11 at…: or, toward thy people
12¶ LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.26.12 in us: or, for us 13O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 14They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. 15Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth. 16LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.26.16 prayer: Heb. secret speech 17Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. 18We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. 19Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
20¶ Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.26.21 blood: Heb. bloods
