<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Wise people should not boast that they are wise.p> <p class="poetry">Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Rich people should not boast that they are rich.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">You must be truthful, honest and uprightp> <p class="poetry">when you take an oath saying, &#8216;As surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives!&#8217;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">If you do,<n id="2" /> the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you arep> <p class="poetry">and will make him the object of their boasting.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Sing to the <sc>Lordsc>! Praise the <sc>Lordsc>!p> <p class="poetry">For he rescues the oppressed from the clutches of evildoers.<n id="1" />p>

When they have drunk it, they will stagger to and fro<n id="1" /> and act insane. For I will send wars sweeping through them.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Why do you brag about your great power?p> <p class="poetry">Your power is ebbing away,<n id="1" /> you rebellious people of Ammon,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">who trust in your riches and say,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Who would dare to attack us?&#8217;p>

<p class="poetry">A drought will come upon her land;p> <p class="poetry">her rivers and canals will be dried up.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">All of this will happen because her land is filled with idols.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Her people act like madmen because of<n id="3" /> those idols they fear.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">If people want to boast, they should boast about this:p> <p class="poetry">They should boast that they understand and know me.p> <p class="poetry">They should boast that they know and understandp> <p class="poetry">that I, the <sc>Lordsc>, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earthp> <p class="poetry">and that I desire people to do these things,&#8221;<n id="1" />p> <p class="bodytext">says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">Go ahead and<n id="1" /> charge into battle, you horsemen!p> <p class="poetry">Drive furiously, you charioteers!p> <p class="poetry">Let the soldiers march out into battle,p> <p class="poetry">those from Ethiopia and Libya who carry shields,p> <p class="poetry">and those from Lydia<n id="2" /> who are armed with the bow.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Babylonia had been a gold cup in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s hand.p> <p class="poetry">She had made the whole world drunk.p> <p class="poetry">The nations had drunk from the wine of her wrath.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">So they have all gone mad.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Moreover,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Sing for joy for the descendants of Jacob.p> <p class="poetry">Utter glad shouts for that foremost of the nations.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Make your praises heard.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Then say, &#8216;<sc>Lordsc>, rescue your people.p> <p class="poetry">Deliver those of Israel who remain alive.&#8217;<n id="4" />p>