1 W oe to you, O destroyer, you who were not yourself destroyed, who deal treacherously though they did not deal treacherously with you! When you have ceased to destroy, you will be destroyed; and when you have stopped dealing treacherously, they will deal treacherously with you.

2 O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for You. Be the arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.

3 A t the noise of the tumult, the peoples flee; at the lifting up of Yourself, nations are scattered.

4 A nd the spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers; as locusts leap and run to and fro, so leap upon it.

5 T he Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).

6 A nd there shall be stability in your times, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the reverent fear and worship of the Lord is your treasure and His.

7 B ehold, their valiant ones cry without; the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.

8 T he highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceases. The enemy has broken the covenant, he has despised the cities and the witnesses, he regards no man.

9 T he land mourns and languishes, Lebanon is confounded and withers away; Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.

10 N ow will I arise, says the Lord. Now will I lift up Myself; now will I be exalted.

11 Y ou conceive chaff, you bring forth stubble; your breath is a fire that consumes you.

12 A nd the people will be burned as if to lime, like thorns cut down that are burned in the fire.

13 H ear, you who are far off, what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge My might!

14 T he sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling seizes the godless ones. Who among us can dwell with that devouring fire? Who among us can dwell with those everlasting burnings?

15 H e who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises gain from fraud and from oppression, who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil.

16 w ill dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; water for him will be sure.

17 Y our eyes will see the King in His beauty; will behold a land of wide distances that stretches afar.

18 Y our mind will meditate on the terror: Where is he who counted? Where is he who weighed the tribute? Where is he who counted the towers?

19 Y ou will see no more the fierce and insolent people, a people of a speech too deep and obscure to be comprehended, of a strange and stammering tongue that you cannot understand.

20 L ook upon Zion, the city of our set feasts and solemnities! Your eyes shall see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, a tent that shall not be taken down; not one of its stakes shall ever be pulled up, neither shall any of its cords be broken.

21 B ut there the Lord will be for us in majesty and splendor a place of broad rivers and streams, where no oar-propelled boat can go, and no mighty and stately ship can pass.

22 F or the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He will save us.

23 Y our hoisting ropes hang loose; they cannot strengthen and hold firm the foot of their mast or keep the sail spread out. Then will prey and spoil in abundance be divided; even the lame will take the prey.

24 A nd no inhabitant will say, I am sick; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity and guilt.