1The 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.
2Open the city gates for a law-abiding nation that is faithful to God.
3The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm.Notes
4So always trust the Lord because he is forever our mighty rock.
5God has put down our enemies in their mountain city and rubbed it in the dirt.
6Now the poor and abused trample all over that city.”
7Our Lord, you always do right, and you make the path smooth for those who obey you.
8You are the one we trust to bring about justice; above all else we want your name to be honored.
9Throughout the night, my heart searches for you, because your decisions show everyone on this earth how to live right.
10Even when the wicked are treated with mercy in this land of justice, they do wrong and are blind to your glory, our Lord.
11Your 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.
12You will give us peace, Lord, because everything we have done was by your power.
13Others have ruled over us besides you, our Lord God, but we obey only you.
14Those enemies are now dead and can never live again. You have punished them— they are destroyed, completely forgotten.
15Our nation has grown because of you, our Lord. We have more land than before, and you are honored.
16When you punished our people, they turned and prayed to you, our Lord.
17Because of what you did to us, we suffered like a woman about to give birth.
18But 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.
19Your 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.
20Go inside and lock the doors, my people. Hide there for a little while, until the Lord is no longer angry.
21The 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.
Contemporary English Version (2006) Tap a verse to copy, share, highlight or add a note. Dotted words link to encyclopedia articles.
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The text is Contemporary English Version (2006)(English) — Published under a copyright agreement with the Korean Bible Society — the text is copyright of the Korean Bible Society. Highlights, notes and read marks stay with the chapter whichever version you read. Dotted words are people, places and terms that have an encyclopedia article (marked once per page). Highlights, notes and read marks are saved only in this browser and gathered under My marks.