1 I n that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation doth he appoint for walls and bulwarks.

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. The Lord saves us and puts up walls to keep us safe.

2 O pen ye the gates, and the righteous nation which keepeth faithfulness shall enter in.

Open the gates, that the nation that is right with God may come in, the one that keeps faithful.

3 T hou wilt keep in perfect peace the mind stayed, for he confideth in thee.

You will keep the man in perfect peace whose mind is kept on You, because he trusts in You.

4 C onfide ye in Jehovah for ever; for in Jah, Jehovah, is the rock of ages.

Trust in the Lord forever. For the Lord God is a Rock that lasts forever.

5 F or he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low, he layeth it low to the ground, he bringeth it even to the dust.

For He has brought down low those who live on a high place, the high city. He lays it low. He lays it low to the ground. He throws it to the dust.

6 T he foot shall tread it down,—the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the poor.

It will be crushed under foot, under the feet of those who have suffered and the steps of those who cannot help themselves.”

7 T he way of the just is uprightness: thou, the Upright, dost make the path of the just even.

The way of the man who is right with God is smooth. O Upright One, make the path straight of those who are right with You.

8 Y ea, in the way of thy judgments, O Jehovah, have we waited for thee; the desire of soul is to thy name, and to thy memorial.

While following in Your ways, O Lord, we have waited for You. To remember You and Your name is the desire of our souls.

9 W ith my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

My soul has a desire for You in the night. Yes, my spirit within me looks for You in the morning. For when you punish the earth, the people of the world learn what is right and good.

10 I f favour be shewn to the wicked, he doth not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness he dealeth unjustly, and beholdeth not the majesty of Jehovah.

When favor is shown to the sinful, he does not learn what is right and good. He goes on doing what is wrong in the land of those who are right. He does not see the wonderful power of the Lord.

11 J ehovah, thy hand is lifted up, but they do not see: they shall see jealousy the people, and be ashamed; yea, the fire which is for thine adversaries shall devour them.

O Lord, Your hand is lifted up but they do not see it. Let them see Your care for Your people and be ashamed. Let fire destroy those who hate You.

12 J ehovah, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou also hast wrought all our works for us.

O Lord, You will give us peace, for You have done all our works for us.

13 J ehovah our God, other lords than thee have had dominion over us; by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

O Lord our God, other lords than You have ruled us, but Your name alone is the One we honor.

14 d ead, they shall not live; deceased, they shall not rise: for thou hast visited and destroyed them, and made all memory of them to perish.

They are dead, and will not live. Their spirits will not return. So You have punished and destroyed them. You have caused them all to be forgotten.

15 T hou hast increased the nation, Jehovah, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified. Thou hadst removed far all the ends of the earth.

You have made the nation great, O Lord. You have made the nation great. You have received much praise. You have made the land larger.

16 J ehovah, in trouble they sought thee; they poured out whispered prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

O Lord, they looked for You in their trouble. They could only say a quiet prayer while You were punishing them.

17 A s a woman with child, that draweth near her delivery, is in travail, crieth out in her pangs; so have we been before thee, Jehovah.

As the woman who is going to have a baby comes close to the time to give birth, she suffers and cries out in her pains. This is how we were before You, O Lord.

18 W e have been with child, we have been in travail, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought the deliverance of the land, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

We suffered in pain. We gave birth, as it were, only to wind. We could not bring the world out of its trouble. And no people of the earth were born.

19 T hy dead shall live, my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing in triumph, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is the dew of the morning, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.

Your dead will live. Their dead bodies will rise. You who lie in the dust, wake up and call out for joy. For as the water on the grass in the morning brings new life, the earth will bring back to life those who have been dead. Punishment of Sinners

20 C ome, my people, enter into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself just for a little moment, until the indignation be past.

Come, my people, go into your rooms. Close your doors behind you. Hide for a little while until God’s anger is past.

21 F or behold, Jehovah cometh out of his place to visit the iniquity of the inhabitants of the earth upon them; and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

For see, the Lord is about to come out from His place to punish the people of the earth for their sin. And the earth will let the blood be seen that has poured on her. She will no longer cover her dead.