Read the Bible

    Now you're in for trouble!
You've never been destroyed,
    but you will be destroyed;
you've never been betrayed,
    but you will be betrayed.
When you have finished
    destroying and betraying,
you will be destroyed
    and betrayed in return.

² Please, Lord, be kind to us!
    We depend on you.
Make us strong each morning,
and come to save us
    when we are in trouble.
³ Nations scatter when you roar
    and show your greatness.^[a]
4 We attack our enemies
    like swarms of locusts;^[b]
we take everything
    that belongs to them.^[c]

⁵ You, Lord, are above all others,
    and you live in the heavens.
You have brought justice
    and fairness to Jerusalem;
⁶ you are the foundation
    on which we stand today.
You always save us and give
    true wisdom and knowledge.
Nothing means more to us^[d]
    than obeying you.

⁷ Listen! Our bravest soldiers
are running through the streets,
    screaming for help.^[e]
Our messengers hoped for peace,
    but came home crying.
⁸ No one travels anymore;
    every road is empty.
Treaties are broken,
and no respect is shown
    to any who keep promises.^[f]
9 Fields are dry and barren;
Mount Lebanon wilts
    with shame.
Sharon Valley is a desert;
the forests of Bashan and Carmel
    have lost their leaves.

¹⁰ But the Lord says,
"Now I will do something
    and be greatly praised.
¹¹ Your deeds are straw
that will be set on fire
    by your very own breath.
¹² You will be burned to ashes
    like thorns in a fire.
¹³ Everyone, both far and near,
come look at what I have done.
    See my mighty power!"

¹⁴ Those terrible sinners
on Mount Zion tremble
    as they ask in fear,
"How can we possibly live
where a raging fire
    never stops burning?"

¹⁵ But there will be rewards
for those who live right
    and tell the truth,
for those who refuse
    to take money by force
    or accept bribes,
for all who hate murder
    and violent crimes.
¹⁶ They will live in a fortress
    high on a rocky cliff,
where they will have food
    and plenty of water.

¹⁷ With your own eyes
you will see the glorious King;
    you will see his kingdom
    reaching far and wide.
¹⁸ Then you will ask yourself,
    "Where are those officials
who terrified us and forced us
    to pay such heavy taxes?"
¹⁹ You will never again have to see
    the proud people who spoke
a strange and foreign language
    you could not understand.

²⁰ Look to Mount Zion
where we celebrate
    our religious festivals.
You will see Jerusalem,
    secure as a tent with pegs
that cannot be pulled up
and fastened with ropes
    that can never be broken.
²¹ Our wonderful Lord
    will be with us!
There will be deep rivers
and wide streams
    safe from enemy ships.^[g]

²² The Lord is our judge
    and our ruler;
the Lord is our king
    and will keep us safe.
²³ But your nation^[h] is a ship
    with its rigging loose,
its mast shaky,
    and its sail not spread.

Someday even you that are lame
will take everything you want
    from your enemies.
²⁴ The Lord will forgive your sins,
and none of you will say,
    "I feel sick."