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The Prophet Acknowledges Injustice

¹ Woe is me (judgment is coming)! For I am
Like one who gathers the summer ^(C1)fruits, like one who gleans the vintage grapes.
There is not a cluster of grapes to eat,
No ^(C2)first-ripe fig which my appetite craves.

² The godly person who is faithful and loyal to God has ^(C1)perished from the earth,
And there is no upright person one with good character and moral integrity among men.
They all lie in wait to shed ^(C2)blood;
Each hunts the other with a ^(C3)net.

³ Concerning evil, both of their hands pursue it and do it ^(C1)diligently and thoroughly;
The prince asks, also the judge, for a ^(C2)bribe,
And a great man speaks the evil desire of his soul.
So they twist the course of justice between them.

⁴ The best of them is injurious like a ^(C1)briar;
The most upright is prickly like a ^(C2)thorn hedge.
The day of your watchmen that is, the time predicted by the prophets
And your ^(C3)punishment comes;
Now shall be their ^(C4)confusion.

^5 (C1)Do not trust in a neighbor because of the moral corruption in the land;
Do not have confidence in a friend.
Guard the doors of your mouth
From her who lies in your bosom. ^(VR1)

⁶ For the ^(C1)son dishonors the father and treats him contemptuously,
The daughter rises up in hostility against her mother,
The daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
^(C2)A man's enemies are the men (members) of his own household. ^(VR1)

God Is the Source of Salvation and Light

⁷ But as for me, I will ^(C1)look expectantly for the LORD and with confidence in Him I will keep watch;
I will ^(C2)wait with confident expectation for the God of my salvation.
My ^(C3)God will hear me.

^8 (C1)Do not rejoice over me amid my tragedies, O ^(C2)my enemy!
Though I fall, I will ^(C3)rise;
Though I sit in the darkness of distress, the LORD is a ^(C4)light for me.

⁹ I will bear the indignation and wrath of the LORD
Because I have sinned against Him,
Until He ^(C1)pleads my case and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the ^(C2)light,
And I will behold His amazing ^(C3)righteousness and His remarkable deliverance. ^(VR1)

¹⁰ Then my enemy all the pagan nations shall see it,
And shame for despising the LORD will cover her who ^(C1)said to me,
"Where is the LORD your God?"
My eyes will look on her with satisfaction at her judgment;
Now she (unbelievers) will be ^(C2)trampled down
Like mud of the streets.

¹¹ It shall be a day for ^(C1)building your walls,
On that day the boundary of Israel shall be greatly extended. ^(VR1)

¹² It shall be a day when ^(F1)the Gentiles will ^(C1)come to you
From Assyria and from the cities of Egypt,
And from Egypt even to the river Euphrates,
From sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.

¹³ Yet the earth beyond the land of Israel shall become ^(C1)desolate because of those who dwell in it,
Because of the ^(C2)fruit of their deeds.

^14 (C1)Shepherd and rule Your people with Your ^(C2)scepter of blessing,
The flock of Your inheritance and Your possession
Which dwells alone separate and secure from attack in the forest,
In the midst of a garden land.
Let them feed in ^(C3)Bashan and Gilead
^(C4)As in the days of old the days of Moses and Elijah.

¹⁵ "As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt,
I shall show ^(C1)you marvelous and miraculous things."

¹⁶ The pagan nations ^(C1)shall see God's omnipotence in delivering Israel and be ashamed
Of all their might which cannot be compared to His.
They shall ^(C2)put their hand on their mouth in silent astonishment;
Their ears shall be deaf.

¹⁷ They shall ^(C1)lick the dust like a serpent;
Like ^(C2)crawling things of the earth
They shall come ^(C3)trembling out of their fortresses and hiding places.
They shall turn and come with ^(C4)fear and dread to the LORD our God
And they shall be afraid and stand in awe before You O LORD. ^(VR1)

¹⁸ Who is a God like You, who ^(C1)forgives wickedness
And passes over the rebellious acts of the ^(C2)remnant of His possession?
He does not ^(C3)retain His anger forever,
Because He constantly ^(C4)delights in mercy and lovingkindness.

¹⁹ He shall again have compassion on us;
^(C1)He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness destroying sin's power.
Yes, You will ^(C2)cast all our sins
Into the depths of the sea. ^(VR1)

²⁰ You shall give ^(C1)truth to Jacob
And lovingkindness and mercy to Abraham,
As You have ^(C2)sworn to our forefathers
From the days of old. ^(VR1)