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Song of Trust in God's Protection

^1 (C1)In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

"We have a ^(C2)strong city;
He sets up ^(C3)salvation as walls and ramparts.

² "Open the ^(C1)gates, that the ^(C2)righteous nation may enter,
The one that ^(F1)remains faithful and trustworthy.

³ "You will keep in ^(F1)perfect and constant ^(C1)peace the one whose mind is steadfast that is, committed and focused on You—in both ^(F2)inclination and character,
Because he trusts and takes refuge in You with hope and confident expectation.

⁴ "^(C1)Trust confidently in the LORD forever He is your fortress, your shield, your banner,
For the LORD GOD is an everlasting ^(C2)Rock the Rock of Ages.

⁵ "For He has thrown down the arrogant ones who dwell on high, the ^(C1)lofty and inaccessible city;
^(C2)He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He hurls it to the dust.

⁶ "^(C1)The foot will trample it,
Even the feet of the ^(C2)suffering, and the steps of the helpless."

⁷ The ^(C1)way of the righteous those in right-standing with God—living in moral and spiritual integrity is smooth and level;
O Upright One, ^(C2)make a level path for the just and righteous.

⁸ Indeed, in the path of ^(C1)Your judgments, O LORD,
We have waited expectantly for You;
^(C2)Your name, even Your ^(C3)memory, is the desire and deep longing of our souls.

^9 (C1)In the night my soul longs for You O LORD,
Indeed, my spirit within me ^(C2)seeks You diligently;
For only when Your judgments are experienced on the earth
Will the inhabitants of the world ^(C3)learn righteousness.

¹⁰ Though the wicked is shown compassion and favor,
He does not ^(C1)learn righteousness;
In the land of uprightness he ^(C2)deals unjustly,
And refuses to see the majesty of the LORD.

¹¹ Though Your hand is lifted up to strike, O LORD, the wicked ^(C1)do not see it.
Let them see ^(C2)Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame;
Indeed, let the ^(C3)fire reserved for Your enemies consume them.

¹² LORD, You will establish ^(C1)peace for us,
Since You have also performed for us all that we have done.

¹³ O LORD our God, ^(C1)other masters besides You have ruled over us;
But through You alone we ^(C2)confess Your name.

^14 (C1)The wicked dead will not live again, the spirits of the dead will not rise and return;
Therefore You have ^(C2)punished and destroyed them,
And You have wiped out every memory of them every trace of them.

^15 (C1)You have increased the nation, O LORD;
You have increased the nation, You are glorified;
You have ^(C2)extended all the borders of the land.

¹⁶ O LORD, they sought You ^(C1)in distress;
They managed only a prayerful whisper
When Your discipline was upon them.

^17 (C1)As a woman with child approaches the time to give birth,
She is in pain and struggles and cries out in her labor,
So we were before You, O LORD.

¹⁸ We have ^(C1)been with child, we have twisted and struggled in labor;
We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind.
We could not accomplish salvation for the earth,
Nor were ^(C2)inhabitants of the world ^(F1)born.

¹⁹ Your ^(C1)dead will live;
^(F1)Their dead bodies will rise.
You who lie in the dust, ^(C2)awake and shout for joy!
For your dew is a dew of celestial light heavenly, supernatural,
And the earth will give birth to the spirits of the dead. ^(VR1)

²⁰ Come, my people, ^(C1)enter your chambers
And shut your doors behind you;
Hide for a little ^(C2)while
Until the LORD'S ^(F1)(C3)wrath is past.

²¹ Listen carefully, the LORD is about to ^(C1)come out of His heavenly place
To ^(C2)punish the inhabitants of the earth for their wickedness their sin, their injustice, their wrongdoing;
The earth will ^(C3)reveal the innocent blood shed upon her
And will no longer cover her slain.