1 I n 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.

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, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may 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 him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

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

4 T rust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

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, even 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, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

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, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

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 Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

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 will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will 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 L et 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.

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 L ord, 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.

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 L ord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

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

13 O Lord our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but 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 T hey 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.

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, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto 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 L ord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a 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 L ike 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

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, 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.

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.