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1At that time this song will be sung in the land of Judah:[#tn Heb “In that day” (so KJV).]
“We have a strong city!
The Lord ’s deliverance, like walls and a rampart, makes it secure.
2Open the gates so a righteous nation can enter –
one that remains trustworthy.
3You keep completely safe the people who maintain their faith,
for they trust in you.
4Trust in the Lord from this time forward,[#tn Or “forevermore.” For other uses of the phrase עֲדֵי־עַד (’ade-’ad) see Isa 65:18 and Pss 83:17; 92:7.]
even in Yah, the Lord , an enduring protector!
5Indeed, the Lord knocks down those who live in a high place,[#tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).]
he brings down an elevated town;
he brings it down to the ground,
he throws it down to the dust.
6It is trampled underfoot
by the feet of the oppressed,
by the soles of the poor.”
7The way of the righteous is level,[#sn The literary structure of chap. 26 is not entirely clear. The chapter begins with an eschatological song of praise and ends with a lament and prophetic response (vv. 16-21). It is not certain where the song of praise ends or how vv. 7-15 fit into the structure. Verses 10-11a seem to lament the presence of evil and v. 11b anticipates the arrival of judgment, so it is possible that vv. 7-15 are a prelude to the lament and announcement that conclude the chapter.]
the path of the righteous that you make is straight.
8Yes, as your judgments unfold,[#tn The Hebrew text has, “yes, the way of your judgments.” The translation assumes that “way” is related to the verb “we wait” as an adverbial accusative (“in the way of your judgments we wait”). מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ (mishpatekha, “your judgments”) could refer to the Lord’s commandments, in which case one might translate, “as we obey your commands.” However, in verse 9 the same form refers to divine acts of judgment on evildoers.]
O Lord , we wait for you.
We desire your fame and reputation to grow.
9I look for you during the night,[#tn Heb “with my soul I.” This is a figure for the speaker himself (“I”).; #tn Or “long for, desire.” The speaker acknowledges that he is eager to see God come in judgment (see vv. 8, 9b).]
my spirit within me seeks you at dawn,
for when your judgments come upon the earth,
those who live in the world learn about justice.
10If the wicked are shown mercy,
they do not learn about justice.
Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly;
they do not see the Lord ’s majesty revealed.
11O Lord , you are ready to act,[#tn Heb “O Lord, your hand is lifted up.”]
but they don’t even notice.
They will see and be put to shame by your angry judgment against humankind,
yes, fire will consume your enemies.
12O Lord , you make us secure,[#tn Heb “O Lord, you establish peace for us.”]
for even all we have accomplished, you have done for us.
13O Lord , our God,
masters other than you have ruled us,
but we praise your name alone.
14The dead do not come back to life,
the spirits of the dead do not rise.
That is because you came in judgment and destroyed them,
you wiped out all memory of them.
15You have made the nation larger, O Lord ,[#tn Heb “you have added to the nation.” The last line of the verse suggests that geographical expansion is in view. “The nation” is Judah.]
you have made the nation larger and revealed your splendor,
you have extended all the borders of the land.
16O Lord , in distress they looked for you;
they uttered incantations because of your discipline.
17As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver
and strains and cries out because of her labor pains,
so were we because of you, O Lord .
18We were pregnant, we strained,
we gave birth, as it were, to wind.
We cannot produce deliverance on the earth;
people to populate the world are not born.
19Your dead will come back to life;[#sn At this point the Lord (or prophet) gives the people an encouraging oracle.]
your corpses will rise up.
Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground!
For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew,
and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits.
20Go, my people! Enter your inner rooms!
Close your doors behind you!
Hide for a little while,
until his angry judgment is over!
21For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives,[#tn Heb “out of his place” (so KJV, ASV).]
to punish the sin of those who live on the earth.
The earth will display the blood shed on it;
it will no longer cover up its slain.