1 I n that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.

In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.

2 O pen the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps her faith and her troth may enter in.

Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.

3 Y ou will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.

4 S o trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock.

Trust in Yahweh forever; for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting Rock.

5 F or He has brought down the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city; He lays it low, lays it low to the ground; He brings it even to the dust.

For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust.

6 T he foot has trampled it down—even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

The foot shall tread it down; Even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.”

7 T he way of the righteous (those living in moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relationship of their lives) is level and straight; You, O, Who are upright, direct aright and make level the path of the just and righteous.

The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.

8 Y es, in the path of Your judgments, O Lord, we wait for You; our heartfelt desire is for Your name and for the remembrance of You.

Yes, in the way of your judgments, Yahweh, have we waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.

9 M y soul yearns for You in the night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You earnestly; for when Your judgments are in the earth will the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God).

With my soul have I desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

10 T hough favor is shown to the wicked, yet they do not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness they deal perversely and refuse to see the majesty of the Lord.

Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see Yahweh’s majesty.

11 T hough Your hand is lifted high to strike, Lord, they do not see it. Let them see Your zeal for Your people and be ashamed; yes, let the fire reserved for Your enemies consume them.

Yahweh, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people, and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.

12 L ord, You will ordain peace (God’s favor and blessings, both temporal and spiritual) for us, for You have also wrought in us and for us all our works.

Yahweh, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also done all our work for us.

13 O Lord, our God, other masters besides You have ruled over us, but we will acknowledge and mention Your name only.

Yahweh our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us, but by you only will we make mention of your name.

14 T hey are dead, they shall not live and reappear; they are powerless ghosts, they shall not rise and come back. Therefore You have visited and made an end of them and caused every memory of them to perish.

The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.

15 Y ou have increased the nation, O Lord; You have increased the nation. You are glorified; You have enlarged all the borders of the land.

You have increased the nation, O Yahweh. You have increased the nation! You are glorified! You have enlarged all the borders of the land.

16 L ord, when they were in trouble and distress, they sought and visited You; they poured out a prayerful whisper when Your chastening was upon them.

Yahweh, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.

17 A s a woman with child drawing near the time of her delivery is in pain and writhes and cries out in her pangs, so we have been before You (at Your presence), O Lord.

Like as a woman with child, who draws near the time of her delivery, is in pain and cries out in her pangs; so we have been before you, Yahweh.

18 W e have been with child, we have been writhing and in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind. We have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not yet been born.

We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19 Y our dead shall live; the bodies of our dead shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For Your dew is a dew of light; and the earth shall cast forth the dead.

Your dead shall live. My dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.

20 C ome, my people, enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the wrath is past.

Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.

21 F or behold, the Lord is coming out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also will disclose the blood shed upon her and will no longer cover her slain and conceal her guilt.

For, behold, Yahweh comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her blood, and will no longer cover her slain.