<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;I will make youths their officials;p> <p class="poetry">malicious young men<n id="2" /> will rule over them.p>

Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them.

<p class="poetry">Who stirs up this one from the east?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Who<n id="2" /> officially commissions him for service?<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">He hands nations over to him,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and enables him to subdue<n id="5" /> kings.p> <p class="poetry">He makes them like dust with his sword,p> <p class="poetry">like windblown straw with his bow.<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">that will be better than sons and daughters.p> <p class="poetry">I will set up a permanent monument<n id="2" /> for them that will remain.p>

<p class="poetry">He is the one who reduces rulers to nothing;p> <p class="poetry">he makes the earth&#8217;s leaders insignificant.p>

<p class="poetry">He gives strength to those who are tired;p> <p class="poetry">to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.p>

<p class="poetry">I first decreed to Zion, &#8216;Look, here&#8217;s what will happen!&#8217;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I sent a herald to Jerusalem.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">So I defiled your holy princes,p> <p class="poetry">and handed Jacob over to destruction,p> <p class="poetry">and subjected<n id="1" /> Israel to humiliating abuse.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Look, I made him a witness to nations,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">a ruler and commander of nations.&#8221;p>

I will place the key<n id="1" /> to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it.

<p class="poetry">I am not angry.p> <p class="poetry">I wish I could confront some thorns and briers!p> <p class="poetry">Then I would march against them<n id="1" /> for battle;p> <p class="poetry">I would set them<n id="2" /> all on fire,p>

<p class="poetry">This is the person who will live in a secure place;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he will find safety in the rocky, mountain strongholds;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he will have foodp> <p class="poetry">and a constant supply of water.p>

Look, I will take control of his mind;<n id="1" /> he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down<n id="2" /> with a sword in his own land.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I, the <sc>Lordsc>, officially commission you;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I take hold of your hand.p> <p class="poetry">I protect you<n id="2" /> and make you a covenant mediator for people,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and a light<n id="4" /> to the nations,<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I am the <sc>Lordsc>! That is my name!p> <p class="poetry">I will not share my glory with anyone else,p> <p class="poetry">or the praise due me with idols.p>

<p class="poetry">Since you are precious and special in my sight,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and I love you,p> <p class="poetry">I will hand over people in place of you,p> <p class="poetry">nations in place of your life.p>

<p class="poetry">I will say to the north, &#8216;Hand them over!&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">and to the south, &#8216;Don&#8217;t hold any back!&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">Bring my sons from distant lands,p> <p class="poetry">and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">the one who made a road through the sea,p> <p class="poetry">a pathway through the surging waters,p>

<p class="poetry">I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away;p> <p class="poetry">I am bringing my salvation near,<n id="1" /> it does not wait.p> <p class="poetry">I will save Zion;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will adorn Israel with my splendor.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For my sake alone<n id="1" /> I will act,p> <p class="poetry">for how can I allow my name to be defiled?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will not share my glory with anyone else!<n id="3" />p>