¹In that day , this song will be sung in the land of Judah :

“We have a strong city .

God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks .

²Open the gates , that the righteous nation may enter:

the one which keeps faith.

³You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace ,

because he trusts in you .

⁴Trust in the LORD forever ;[#26:4 or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah.]

for in the LORD , the LORD , is an everlasting Rock .

⁵For he has brought down those who dwell on high , the lofty city .

He lays it low .

He lays it low even to the ground .

He brings it even to the dust .

⁶The foot shall tread it down ,

even the feet of the poor

and the steps of the needy .”

⁷The way of the just is uprightness .

You who are upright make the path of the righteous level .

⁸Yes, in the way of your judgements, LORD , we have waited for you .

Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul .

⁹With my soul I have desired you in the night .

Yes , with my spirit within me I will seek you earnestly ;

for when your judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness .

¹⁰Let favour be shown to the wicked ,

yet he will not learn righteousness .

In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully,

and will not see the LORD ’s majesty .

¹¹LORD , your hand is lifted up , yet they don’t see ;

but they will see your zeal for the people and be disappointed.

Yes , fire will consume your adversaries .

¹²LORD , you will ordain peace for us ,

for you have also done all our work for us .

¹³LORD our God , other lords besides you have had dominion over us ,

but we will only acknowledge your name .

¹⁴The dead shall not live .

The departed spirits shall not rise .

Therefore you have visited and destroyed them ,

and caused all memory of them to perish.

¹⁵You have increased the nation , O LORD .

You have increased the nation !

You are glorified !

You have enlarged all the borders of the land.

¹⁶LORD , in trouble they have visited you .

They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them .

¹⁷Just as a woman with child , who draws near the time of her delivery ,

is in pain and cries out in her pangs ,

so we have been before you , LORD .

¹⁸We have been with child .

We have been in pain .

We gave birth , it seems, only to wind .

We have not worked any deliverance in the earth;

neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen .

¹⁹Your dead shall live .

Their dead bodies shall arise .

Awake and sing , you who dwell in the dust ;

for your dew is like the dew of herbs,

and the earth will cast out the departed spirits .

²⁰Come , my people , enter into your rooms ,

and shut your doors behind you .

Hide yourself for a little moment ,

until the indignation is past .

²¹For , behold , the LORD comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity .

The earth also will disclose her blood , and will no longer cover her slain .