 1 Woe to the destroyer, and you who have not been destroyed. And betrayer, and they have not betrayed you. When you stop destroying, you shall be destroyed. When you stop betraying, they shall betray you. 2 O Lord, be gracious to us. We have waited for you. Be their arm in the mornings. Our salvation also in the time of trouble. 3 At the noise of the tumult the people fled. At the lifting up of yourself the nations were scattered. 4 Your spoil shall be gathered as the stripping locust gathers. As the running to and fro of locusts he shall run on them. 5 The Lord is exalted, for He lives on high. He has filled Zion with judgment and righteousness. 6 He will be the security of your times, and strength of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is his treasure. 7 Behold, their mighty ones shall cry outside. The messengers of peace shall weep bitterly. 8 The highways lie waste, the traveler ceases. He has broken the covenant. He has despised the cities. He cared for no man. 9 The earth mourns and droops. Lebanon is ashamed; Sharon withers like a wilderness; Bashan and Carmel are shaken out. 10 Now I will rise, says the Lord. Now I will be exalted. Now I will lift up myself. 11 You shall conceive chaff, you shall bring out stubble. Your breath, like fire, shall devour you. 12 The people will be like the burnings of lime. Like thorns cut up they will be burned in the fire. 13 You who are far off, hear what I have done. You near ones, know my might. 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid. Terror has surprised the profane ones. Who among us will live with the devouring fire? Who among us will live with everlasting burnings? 15 Those who walk righteously and speak uprightly. Those who despise the gain of oppressions. Those who shake hands free from holding bribes, who stop their ears from hearing of blood, and shut their eyes from seeing evil. 16 He will live on high. His refuge will be the strongholds of rocks. Bread will be given to them. Their waters will be sure. 17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty. They will behold the land that is very far off. 18 Your heart will live on terror. Where is the scribe? Where is the one weighing? Where is the one counting the towers? 19 You will not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than you can understand, a foreign tongue that no one understands. 20 Look to Zion. The city of our holy meetings. Your eyes will see Jerusalem a quiet home, a tabernacle that will not be taken down. Not one of its stakes will ever be removed, nor will any of its cords be broken. 21 But there the glorious Lord will be to us a place of broad rivers and streams, in which no galley with oars will go, nor will mighty ship pass by it. 22 For the Lord is our judge. The Lord is our lawgiver. The Lord is our king. He will save us. 23 Your ropes are loosened. They do not hold the base of the mast. They could not spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil will be divided. The lame take the prey. 24 An inhabitant, the people who live in it will not say, I am sick. Iniquity is taken away.
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