1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah, We haue a strong citie: saluation shall God set for walles and bulwarkes. 2 Open ye the gates that the righteous nation, which keepeth the trueth, may enter in. 3 By an assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfite peace, because they trusted in thee. 4 Trust in the Lord for euer: for in the Lord God is strength for euermore. 5 For hee will bring downe them that dwell on hie: the hie citie he will abase: euen vnto the ground wil he cast it downe, and bring it vnto dust. 6 The foote shall treade it downe, euen the feete of the poore, and the steppes of the needie. 7 The way of the iust is righteousnesse: thou wilt make equall the righteous path of the iust. 8 Also we, O Lord, haue waited for thee in the way of thy iudgemets: the desire of our soule is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee. 9 With my soule haue I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit within mee will I seeke thee in the morning: for seeing thy iudgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse. 10 Let mercie bee shewed to the wicked, yet hee will not learne righteousnesse: in the land of vprightnesse will he do wickedly, and will not beholde the maiestie of the Lord. 11 O Lord, they will not beholde thine hie hande: but they shall see it, and bee confounded with the zeale of the people, and the fire of thine enemies shall deuoure them. 12 Lord, vnto vs thou wilt ordeine peace: for thou also hast wrought all our workes for vs. 13 O Lord our God, other lords beside thee, haue ruled vs, but we will remember thee onely, and thy Name. 14 The dead shall not liue, neither shall the dead arise, because thou hast visited and scattered them, and destroyed all their memorie. 15 Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord: thou hast increased the nation: thou art made glorious: thou hast enlarged all the coastes of the earth. 16 Lord, in trouble haue they visited thee: they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. 17 Like as a woman with childe, that draweth neere to the trauaile, is in sorow, and cryeth in her paines, so haue we bene in thy sight, O Lord. 18 We haue coceiued, we haue borne in paine, as though we should haue brought forth winde: there was no helpe in the earth, neither did the inhabitants of the world fall. 19 Thy dead men shall liue: euen with my body shall they rise. Awake, and sing, ye that dwel in dust: for thy dewe is as the dew of herbes, and the earth shall cast out the dead. 20 Come, my people: enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doores after thee: hide thy selfe for a very litle while, vntill the indignation passe ouer. 21 For lo, the Lord commeth out of his place, to visite the iniquitie of the inhabitants of the earth vpon them: and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more hide her slaine.
God Will Give His People Victory
1 A day is coming when the people will sing this song in the land of Judah:
Our city is strong!
God himself defends its walls!
2 Open the city gates
and let the faithful nation enter,
the nation whose people do what is right.
3 You, Lord, give perfect peace
to those who keep their purpose firm
and put their trust in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever;
he will always protect us.
5 He has humbled those who were proud;
he destroyed the strong city they lived in,
and sent its walls crashing into the dust.
6 Those who were oppressed walk over it now
and trample it under their feet.
7 Lord, you make the path smooth for good people;
the road they travel is level.
8 We follow your will and put our hope in you;
you are all that we desire.
9 At night I long for you with all my heart;
when you judge the earth and its people,
they will all learn what justice is.
10 Even though you are kind to the wicked,
they never learn to do what is right.
Even here in a land of righteous people
they still do wrong;
they refuse to recognize your greatness.
11 Your enemies do not know that you will punish them.
Lord, put them to shame and let them suffer;
let them suffer the punishment you have prepared.
Show them how much you love your people.
12 You will give us prosperity, Lord;
everything that we achieve
is the result of what you do.
13 Lord our God, we have been ruled by others,
but you alone are our Lord.
14 Now they are dead and will not live again;
their ghosts will not rise,
for you have punished them and destroyed them.
No one remembers them any more.
15 Lord, you have made our nation grow,
enlarging its territory on every side;
and this has brought you honor.
16 You punished your people, Lord,
and in anguish they prayed to you.
17 You, Lord, have made us cry out,
as a woman in labor cries out in pain.
18 We were in pain and agony,
but we gave birth to nothing.
We have won no victory for our land;
we have accomplished nothing.
19 Those of our people who have died will live again!
Their bodies will come back to life.
All those sleeping in their graves
will wake up and sing for joy.
As the sparkling dew refreshes the earth,
so the Lord will revive those who have long been dead.
Judgment and Restoration
20 Go into your houses, my people, and shut the door behind you. Hide yourselves for a little while until God's anger is over. 21 The Lord is coming from his heavenly dwelling place to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The murders that were secretly committed on the earth will be revealed, and the ground will no longer hide those who have been killed.