1 I n 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.

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

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

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

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

4 T rust in the Lord forever. For the Lord God is a Rock that lasts forever.

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

5 F or 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.

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

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

7 T he 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.

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

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

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 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.

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 W hen 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

17 A s 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.

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 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.

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 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

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

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.