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.
Awit ng Papuri sa Dios
1Sa mga araw na iyon ang awit na itoʼy aawitin sa Juda:
Matatag na ang ating lungsod!
Ang Pagliligtas ng Dios ay parang pader na nakapalibot sa atin.
2Buksan ang mga pintuan ng lungsod para makapasok ang bansang matuwid at tapat sa Panginoon.
3Panginoon, bigyan nʼyo nang lubos na kapayapaan ang taong kayo lagi ang iniisip dahil nagtitiwala siya sa inyo.
4Magtiwala kayong lagi sa Panginoon,
dahil siya ang ating Bato na kanlungan magpakailanman.
5Ang totoo, ibinabagsak niya ang mga mapagmataas.
Winawasak niya ang kanilang lungsod hanggang sa madurog sa lupa.
6At itoʼy tinatapak-tapakan ng mga dukha na kanilang inapi.
7Patag ang daan ng taong matuwid, at kayo, Panginoong matuwid, ang nagpatag nito.
8Panginoon, sinunod namin ang inyong mga utos,
at nagtiwala kami sa inyo.
Hangad namin na kayo ay aming maparangalan.
9Buong puso kitang hinahanap-hanap kapag gabi.
Kung hahatulan nʼyo ang mga tao sa mundo,
matututo silang mamuhay nang matuwid.
10Kahit kinaaawaan nʼyo ang masasama,
hindi pa rin sila natututong mamuhay nang matuwid.
Kahit na naninirahan silang kasama ng mga matuwid,
patuloy pa rin sila sa kanilang gawaing masama,
at hindi nila kinikilala ang inyong kapangyarihan.
11Panginoon, nakahanda na po kayong magparusa sa kanila,
pero hindi nila alam.
Ipaalam nʼyo sa kanila, Panginoon.
Ilagay nʼyo po sila sa kahihiyan. Ipakita nʼyo sa kanila kung gaano nʼyo kamahal ang iyong mga mamamayan.
Lipulin nʼyo po sa pamamagitan ng inyong apoy ang inyong mga kaaway.
12Panginoon, ilagay nʼyo po kami sa mabuting kalagayan,
sapagkat ang lahat ng aming nagagawa ay nagagawa namin sa tulong ninyo.
13Panginoon na aming Dios,
pinamahalaan kami ng ibang panginoon,
pero kayo lang ang aming sinasamba.
14Patay na sila ngayon at hindi na mabubuhay pa.
Pinarusahan nʼyo sila at pinatay para malimutan at hindi na maaalala pa.
15Panginoon, pinalawak nʼyo ang aming bansa.
Pinalapad nʼyo ang aming mga hangganan,
at itoʼy nagbigay ng karangalan sa inyo.
16Panginoon, pinarusahan nʼyo ang iyong mga mamamayan,
at sa kanilang mga paghihirap ay dumulog at tumawag sila sa inyo.
17Panginoon, kitang-kita nʼyo ang aming paghihirap.
Tulad kami ng isang babaeng nanganganak, na napapasigaw dahil sa tindi ng sakit.
18Dumaing kami dahil sa hirap, pero wala rin kaming iniluwal.
Wala kaming nagawa para iligtas ang lupain namin,
at hindi rin namin nalipol ang mga taong kaaway namin dito sa mundo.
19Pero muling mabubuhay ang inyong mga mamamayang namatay.
Babangon ang kanilang mga bangkay at aawit sa galak.
Kung papaanong ang hamog ay nagpapalamig ng lupa,
kayo rin Panginoon ang muling bubuhay sa mga patay.
20Mga kababayan, pumasok kayo sa inyong mga bahay at isara ninyo ang inyong mga pintuan.
Magtago muna kayo hanggang sa mawala ang galit ng Panginoon.
21Sapagkat darating na siya mula sa kanyang tirahan para parusahan ang mga tao sa mundo dahil sa kanilang mga kasalanan.
Ilalabas ng lupa ang mga taong pinatay, at hindi na niya itatago pa.
