The Lord says, “Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he is loyal to me.

They will perish, but you will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear.

Proud men hide a snare for me; evil men spread a net by the path; they set traps for me. (Selah)

Look to the right and see! No one cares about me. I have nowhere to run; no one is concerned about my life.

The mandrakes send out their fragrance; over our door is every delicacy, both new and old, which I have stored up for you, my lover.

Those remaining in Zion, those left in Jerusalem, will be called “holy,” all in Jerusalem who are destined to live.

But he does not agree with this, his mind does not reason this way, for his goal is to destroy, and to eliminate many nations.

At that time you will say: “Praise the Lord! Ask him for help! Publicize his mighty acts among the nations! Make it known that he is unique!

Those who see you stare at you, they look at you carefully, thinking: “Is this the man who shook the earth, the one who made kingdoms tremble?

They say to the visionaries, “See no more visions!” and to the seers, “Don’t relate messages to us about what is right! Tell us nice things, relate deceptive messages.

In a year’s time you carefree ones will shake with fear, for the grape harvest will fail, and the fruit harvest will not arrive.

Tremble, you complacent ones! Shake with fear, you carefree ones! Strip off your clothes and expose yourselves – put sackcloth on your waist!

Come near, you nations, and listen! Pay attention, you people! The earth and everything it contains must listen, the world and everything that lives in it.

When you will look for your opponents, you will not find them; your enemies will be reduced to absolutely nothing.

“Look, I am making you like a sharp threshing sledge, new and double-edged. You will thresh the mountains and crush them; you will make the hills like straw.

I solemnly make this oath – what I say is true and reliable: ‘Surely every knee will bow to me, every tongue will solemnly affirm;

“I announced events beforehand, I issued the decrees and made the predictions; suddenly I acted and they came to pass.

But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.

“O afflicted one, driven away, and unconsoled! Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli.

Each one says, ‘Come on, I’ll get some wine! Let’s guzzle some beer! Tomorrow will be just like today! We’ll have everything we want!’