26
1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city;
he makes salvation its walls and rampart.
2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter.
3 You will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock of ages.
5 For he has brought low those who dwell on high, the lofty city.
He lays it low, lays it low to the earth;
he brings it to the dust.
6 The foot shall trample it, the feet of the afflicted, the steps of the poor.”
7 The path of the righteous is level;
you who are upright make level the way of the righteous.
8 Yes, in the path of your judgments, LORD, we have waited for you;
your name and your remembrance are the desire of our soul.
9 My soul longs for you in the night;
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
For when your judgments are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10 Though favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness;
in a land of uprightness he acts unjustly and does not see the majesty of the LORD.
11 LORD, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see.
Let them see your zeal for the people and be ashamed;
let the fire for your adversaries consume them.
12 LORD, you will establish peace for us, for you have also done all our works for us.
13 LORD our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but through you alone we remember your name.
14 They are dead;
they shall not live.
They are spirits of the dead;
they shall not rise.
Therefore you have punished and destroyed them and wiped out all memory of them.
15 You have increased the nation, LORD, you have increased the nation;
you are glorified.
You have extended all the borders of the land.
16 LORD, in distress they sought you;
they poured out a whisper when your discipline was upon them.
17 Like a pregnant woman near the time of birth, writhing and crying out in her pangs, so we were before you, LORD.
18 We conceived, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth, as it were, to wind.
We have accomplished no deliverance on earth, nor have inhabitants of the world been born.
19 Your dead shall live;
my dead body shall arise.
Awake and sing for joy, you who dwell in the dust!
For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth shall bring forth the spirits of the dead.
20 “Go, my people, enter your chambers and shut your door behind you.
Hide for a brief moment until the indignation passes.”
21 For behold, the LORD is coming out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.
The earth will uncover its blood and no longer conceal its slain.