Read the Bible

¹ If you want to do right
and obey the Lord,
    follow Abraham's example.
He was the rock from which
    you were chipped.
² God chose Abraham and Sarah
    to be your ancestors.
The Lord blessed Abraham,
and from that one man
    came many descendants.

³ Though Zion is in ruins,
    the Lord will bring comfort,
and the city will be as lovely
as the garden of Eden
    that he provided.
Then Zion will celebrate;
it will be thankful
    and sing joyful songs.

⁴ The Lord says:
You are my people and nation!
    So pay attention to me.
My teaching will cause justice
to shine like a light
    for every nation.
⁵ Those who live across the sea
are eagerly waiting
    for me to rescue them.
I am strong and ready;
soon I will come to save
    and to rule all nations.

⁶ Look closely at the sky!
    Stare at the earth.
The sky will vanish like smoke;
the earth will wear out
    like clothes.
Everyone on this earth
    will die like flies.
But my victory will last;
my saving power never ends.

⁷ If you want to do right
    and to obey my teaching
with all your heart,
    then pay close attention.
Don't be discouraged
when others insult you
    and say hurtful things.
⁸ They will be eaten away
    like a moth-eaten coat.
But my victory will last;
my saving power
    will never end.

⁹ Wake up! Do something, Lord.
    Be strong and ready.
Wake up! Do what you did
    for our people long ago.
Didn't you chop up
    Rahab^[a] the monster?
¹⁰ Didn't you dry up the deep sea
and make a road
for your people
    to follow safely across?
¹¹ Now those you have rescued
will return to Jerusalem,
    singing on their way.
They will be crowned
    with great happiness,
never again to be burdened
    with sadness and sorrow.

¹² I am the Lord, the one
    who encourages you.
Why are you afraid
    of mere humans?
They dry up and die like grass.

¹³ I spread out the heavens
and laid foundations
    for the earth.
But you have forgotten me,
    your Lord and Creator.
All day long you were afraid
of those who were angry
    and hoped to abuse you.
Where are they now?

¹⁴ Everyone crying out in pain
    will be quickly set free;
they will be rescued
from the power of death
    and never go hungry.
¹⁵ I will help them
    because I am your God,
the Lord All-Powerful,
    who makes the ocean roar.

¹⁶ I have told you what to say,
and I will keep you safe
    in the palm of my hand.
I spread out the heavens
and laid foundations
    for the earth.
Now I say, "Jerusalem,
    your people are mine."

¹⁷ Jerusalem, wake up! Stand up!
You've drunk too much
    from the cup filled
    with the Lord's anger.
You have swallowed every drop,
    and you can't walk straight.
¹⁸ Not one of your many children
is there to guide you
    or to offer a helping hand.
¹⁹ You have been destroyed
by war and by famine;
    I cannot comfort you.^[b]
20 The Lord your God is angry,
    and on every street corner
your children lie helpless,
    like deer trapped in nets.

²¹ You are in trouble and drunk,
    but not from wine.
So pay close attention
²² to the Lord your God,
    who defends you and says,
"I have taken from your hands
the cup filled with my anger
    that made you drunk.
You will never be forced
    to drink it again.
²³ Instead I will give it
    to your brutal enemies,
who treated you like dirt
    and walked all over you."