^1. IN that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: «We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for [1] security.

^2. «Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that [2] remains faithful.

^3. «The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.

^4. « Trust in the LORD forever, For in [3] GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.

^5. «For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust.

^6. « The foot will trample it, The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the helpless.»

^7. The way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.

^8. Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O LORD, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.

^9. At night [6] my soul longs for You, Indeed, [5] my spirit within me seeks You diligently; For when the earth [4] experiences Your judgments The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

^10. Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD.

^11. O LORD, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it. [8] They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, [7] fire will devour Your enemies.

^12. LORD, You will establish peace for us, Since You have also performed for us all our works.

^13. O LORD our God, other masters besides You have ruled us; But through You alone we [9] confess Your name.

^14. The dead will not live, the [10] departed spirits will not rise; Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And You have wiped out all remembrance of them.

^15. You have increased the nation, O LORD, You have increased the nation, You are glorified; You have extended all the borders of the land.

^16. O LORD, they sought You in distress; They [11] could only whisper a prayer, Your chastening was upon them.

^17. As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth, She writhes and cries out in her labor pains, Thus were we before You, O LORD.

^18. We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind. We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth, Nor were inhabitants of the world [12] born.

^19. Your dead will live; [16] Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew is as the dew of the [15] dawn, And the earth will [14] give birth to the [13] departed spirits.

^20. Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little [18] while Until indignation [17] runs its course.

^21. For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain.