A Song of Victory
1 The time is coming when the people of Judah will sing this song:
“Our city is protected.
The Lord is our fortress,
and he gives us victory.
2 Open the city gates
for a law-abiding nation
that is faithful to God.
3 The Lord gives perfect peace
to those whose faith is firm.
4 So always trust the Lord
because he is forever
our mighty rock.
5 God has put down our enemies
in their mountain city
and rubbed it in the dirt.
6 Now the poor and abused
trample all over that city.”
The Lord Can Be Trusted
7 Our Lord, you always do right,
and you make the path smooth
for those who obey you.
8 You are the one we trust
to bring about justice;
above all else we want
your name to be honored.
9 Throughout the night,
my heart searches for you,
because your decisions
show everyone on this earth
how to live right.
10 Even when the wicked
are treated with mercy
in this land of justice,
they do wrong and are blind
to your glory, our Lord.
11 Your hand is raised and ready
to punish them,
but they don't see it.
Put them to shame!
Show how much you care for us
and throw them into the fire
intended for your enemies.
12 You will give us peace, Lord,
because everything we have done
was by your power.
13 Others have ruled over us
besides you, our Lord God,
but we obey only you.
14 Those enemies are now dead
and can never live again.
You have punished them—
they are destroyed,
completely forgotten.
15 Our nation has grown
because of you, our Lord.
We have more land than before,
and you are honored.
The Lord Gives Life to the Dead
16 When you punished our people,
they turned and prayed
to you, our Lord.
17 Because of what you did to us,
we suffered like a woman
about to give birth.
18 But instead of having a child,
our terrible pain
produced only wind.
We have won no victories,
and we have no descendants
to take over the earth.
19 Your people will rise to life!
Tell them to leave their graves
and celebrate with shouts.
You refresh the earth
like morning dew;
you give life to the dead.
20 Go inside and lock the doors,
my people.
Hide there for a little while,
until the Lord
is no longer angry.
The Earth and the Sea Will Be Punished
21 The Lord will come out
to punish everyone on earth
for their sins.
And when he does,
those who did violent crimes
will be known and punished.
1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah, We haue a strong citie: saluation shall God set for walles and bulwarkes. 2 Open ye the gates that the righteous nation, which keepeth the trueth, may enter in. 3 By an assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfite peace, because they trusted in thee. 4 Trust in the Lord for euer: for in the Lord God is strength for euermore. 5 For hee will bring downe them that dwell on hie: the hie citie he will abase: euen vnto the ground wil he cast it downe, and bring it vnto dust. 6 The foote shall treade it downe, euen the feete of the poore, and the steppes of the needie. 7 The way of the iust is righteousnesse: thou wilt make equall the righteous path of the iust. 8 Also we, O Lord, haue waited for thee in the way of thy iudgemets: the desire of our soule is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee. 9 With my soule haue I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit within mee will I seeke thee in the morning: for seeing thy iudgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse. 10 Let mercie bee shewed to the wicked, yet hee will not learne righteousnesse: in the land of vprightnesse will he do wickedly, and will not beholde the maiestie of the Lord. 11 O Lord, they will not beholde thine hie hande: but they shall see it, and bee confounded with the zeale of the people, and the fire of thine enemies shall deuoure them. 12 Lord, vnto vs thou wilt ordeine peace: for thou also hast wrought all our workes for vs. 13 O Lord our God, other lords beside thee, haue ruled vs, but we will remember thee onely, and thy Name. 14 The dead shall not liue, neither shall the dead arise, because thou hast visited and scattered them, and destroyed all their memorie. 15 Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord: thou hast increased the nation: thou art made glorious: thou hast enlarged all the coastes of the earth. 16 Lord, in trouble haue they visited thee: they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. 17 Like as a woman with childe, that draweth neere to the trauaile, is in sorow, and cryeth in her paines, so haue we bene in thy sight, O Lord. 18 We haue coceiued, we haue borne in paine, as though we should haue brought forth winde: there was no helpe in the earth, neither did the inhabitants of the world fall. 19 Thy dead men shall liue: euen with my body shall they rise. Awake, and sing, ye that dwel in dust: for thy dewe is as the dew of herbes, and the earth shall cast out the dead. 20 Come, my people: enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doores after thee: hide thy selfe for a very litle while, vntill the indignation passe ouer. 21 For lo, the Lord commeth out of his place, to visite the iniquitie of the inhabitants of the earth vpon them: and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more hide her slaine.