1How terrible for you who destroy, though you yourself were not destroyed; and who betray, though no one betrayed you! When you finish destroying, you will be destroyed; and when you finish betraying, you will be betrayed.
2Yahweh, be kind to us. We have waited for you. Be our strength every morning, and rescue us when we are in trouble.
3At the sound of your thunder, people have run away. When you rise up, nations scatter.
4Your stolen goods will be gathered like caterpillars gather. People will leap on them like locusts leap.
5Yahweh is honored, because he lives in heaven. He has filled Zion with fairness and justice.
6There will be stability in your times, plenty of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Respect for Yahweh is your treasure.
7Look, their brave men cry out in the streets; the ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.
8The roads are empty. Travelers have stopped. The agreement is broken. He has shown contempt for the cities. He doesn’t respect people.
9The land mourns and wastes away. Lebanon is confused and withers. Sharon is like a desert, and Bashan and Carmel are stripped bare.
10“Now I will rise,” says Yahweh; “Now I will lift myself up. Now I will be honored.”
11You will become like dry grass. You will give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will burn you up.
12The people will be like burning lime, like thorns that are cut down and burned in the fire.
13Hear, you who are far away, what I have done; and, you who are near, recognize my power.
14The sinners in Zion are afraid. Trembling has seized the godless people. Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?
15The one who lives righteously and speaks honestly; who hates money gained through oppression, who refuses to take bribes by shaking his hands no, who stops his ears from listening to talk of murder, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil—
16he will live in safety. His refuge will be a fortress of rocks. He will have food. His water will be guaranteed.
17You will see the king in his splendor. You will see a land far away.
18Your mind will think about terror. Where are those who counted the tribute? Where are those who weighed it? Where are those who counted the towers?
19You will no longer see the fierce people, a people whose deep language you can’t understand, with a strange tongue you can’t make sense of.
20Look at Zion, the city where we celebrate our appointed festivals. You will see Jerusalem, a peaceful place to live, a tent that will not be moved. Its tent pegs will never be pulled up, and none of its ropes will ever break.
21Because there, Yahweh will be with us in His majesty, a place with wide rivers and streams, where no military ships will sail, and no grand vessels will pass through.
22For Yahweh is our judge. Yahweh is our lawgiver. Yahweh is our king. He will rescue us.
23Your ropes are loose. They couldn’t make the base of their mast strong. They couldn't spread the sail. Then a great amount of plunder was divided. Even the lame took a share of the loot.
24No resident will say, “I am sick.” The people who live there will have their wrongdoing forgiven.