57
The Blessed Death of the Righteous
1 The righteous perish,
and no one takes it to heart;
devout men are swept away,
while no one considers
that the righteous are guided
from the presence of evil.
2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace;
they find rest, lying down in death.
God Condemns Idolatry
3 “But come here, you sons of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
4 Whom are you mocking?
At whom do you snarl and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
offspring of deceit,
5 who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every luxuriant tree,
who slaughter your children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley;
indeed, they are your lot.
Even to them you have poured out a drink offering
and offered a grain offering.
Should I relent because of these?
7 On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed,
and there you went up to offer sacrifices.
8 Behind the door and doorpost
you have set up your memorial.
Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed;
you climbed up and opened it wide.
And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved;
you have gazed upon their nakedness.
9 You went to Molech *Or to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes.
You have sent your envoys †Or idols a great distance;
you have descended even to Sheol itself.
10 You are wearied by your many journeys,
but you did not say, “There is no hope!”
You found renewal of your strength;
therefore you did not grow weak.
11 Whom have you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied and failed
to remember Me or take this to heart?
Is it not because I have long been silent
that you do not fear Me?
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not profit you.
13 When you cry out,
let your companies of idols deliver you!
Yet the wind will carry off all of them,
a breath will take them away.
But he who seeks refuge in Me will inherit the land
and possess My holy mountain.”
Healing for the Repentant
14 And it will be said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,
to restore the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will not accuse you forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me,
with the breath of those I have made.
17 I was enraged by his sinful greed,
so I struck him and hid My face in anger;
yet he kept turning back
to the desires of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways,
but I will heal him;
I will guide him and restore comfort
to him and his mourners,
19 bringing praise to their lips.
Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD,
“and I will heal them.”
20 But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,
for it cannot be still,
and its waves churn up mire and muck.
21 “There is no peace,” says my God,
“for the wicked.”