1On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he makes salvation its walls and rampart.
2Open the gates, that a righteous nation may enter, one that keeps faithfulness.
3A steadfast mind you keep in perfect peace, for in you it trusts.
4Trust in Yahweh forever, for in Yah, Yahweh, is an everlasting rock.
5For he has brought low those who dwell on high; the lofty town he lays low—he lays it low to the ground, he brings it down to the dust.
6A foot tramples it—the feet of the poor, the steps of the lowly.
7The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make smooth the way of the righteous.
8Indeed, in the path of your judgments, Yahweh, we have waited for you; your name and your renown are the desire of the soul.
9My soul desires you in the night; indeed, my spirit within me seeks you eagerly. For when your judgments come to the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10Though the wicked is shown favor, he does not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he acts wrongly and does not see the majesty of Yahweh.
11Yahweh, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see; let them see your zeal for the people and be ashamed; indeed, let the fire reserved for your adversaries consume them.
12Yahweh, you will establish peace for us, for you have also accomplished all our works for us.
13Yahweh our God, lords other than you have ruled over us, but by you alone do we invoke your name.
14The dead do not live; the shades do not rise. Therefore you visited them and destroyed them, and wiped out all remembrance of them.
15You have added to the nation, Yahweh, you have added to the nation—you are glorified; you have extended all the borders of the land.
16Yahweh, in distress they sought you; they poured out a whispered prayer when your chastening was upon them.
17As a pregnant woman nearing birth writhes and cries out in her pangs, so were we before you, Yahweh.
18We were pregnant, we writhed—as it were, we gave birth to wind; we accomplished no salvation on the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.
19Your dead will live; my corpses will rise. Awake and sing for joy, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is a dew of lights, and the earth will cast out the shades.
20Go, my people, enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you; hide for a little moment until the wrath passes by.
21For behold, Yahweh is coming out from his place to punish the iniquity of the inhabitants of the earth against him; and the earth will disclose its bloodshed and will no longer cover its slain.
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