<p class="poetry">I can clothe the sky in darkness;p> <p class="poetry">I can cover it with sackcloth.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry"><v id="(63:19b)" /><n id="1" /> If only you would tear apart the sky<n id="2" /> and come down!p> <p class="poetry">The mountains would tremble<n id="3" /> before you!p>

<p class="poetry">He is the one who sits on the earth&#8217;s horizon;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">its inhabitants are like grasshoppers before him.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He is the one who stretches out the sky like a thin curtain,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and spreads it out<n id="4" /> like a pitched tent.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Yes, my hand founded the earth;p> <p class="poetry">my right hand spread out the sky.p> <p class="poetry">I summon them;p> <p class="poetry">they stand together.p>

<p class="poetry">for just as the sky<n id="1" /> is higher than the earth,p> <p class="poetry">so my deeds<n id="2" /> are superior to<n id="3" /> your deedsp> <p class="poetry">and my plans<n id="4" /> superior to your plans.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Listen, O heavens,p> <p class="poetry">pay attention, O earth!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> speaks:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I raised children,<n id="2" /> I brought them up,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">but<n id="4" /> they have rebelled<n id="5" /> against me!p>

<p class="poetry">So I will shake the heavens,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and the earth will shake loose from its foundation,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">because of the fury of the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies,p> <p class="poetry">in the day he vents his raging anger.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc>, your protector,<n id="1" /> says,p> <p class="poetry">the one who formed you in the womb:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I am the <sc>Lordsc>, who made everything,p> <p class="poetry">who alone stretched out the sky,p> <p class="poetry">who fashioned the earth all by myself,<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">O sky, rain down from above!p> <p class="poetry">Let the clouds send down showers<n id="1" /> of deliverance!p> <p class="poetry">Let the earth absorb it<n id="2" /> so salvation may grow,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and deliverance may sprout up<n id="4" /> along with it.p> <p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, create it.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">I made the earth,p> <p class="poetry">I created the people who live<n id="1" /> on it.p> <p class="poetry">It was me &#8211; my hands<n id="2" /> stretched out the sky,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I give orders to all the heavenly lights.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">You are tired out from listening to so much advice.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Let them take their stand &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">the ones who see omens in the sky,p> <p class="poetry">who gaze at the stars,p> <p class="poetry">who make monthly predictions &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Shout for joy, O sky!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Rejoice, O earth!p> <p class="poetry">Let the mountains give a joyful shout!p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> consoles his peoplep> <p class="poetry">and shows compassion to the<n id="2" /> oppressed.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I commission you<n id="1" /> as my spokesman;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I cover you with the palm of my hand,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">to establish<n id="4" /> the sky and to found the earth,p> <p class="poetry">to say to Zion, &#8216;You are my people.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">For look, I am ready to createp> <p class="poetry">new heavens and a new earth!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">The former ones<n id="2" /> will not be remembered;p> <p class="poetry">no one will think about them anymore.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Shout for joy, O sky, for the <sc>Lordsc> intervenes;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">shout out, you subterranean regions<n id="2" /> of the earth.p> <p class="poetry">O mountains, give a joyful shout;p> <p class="poetry">you too, O forest and all your trees!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> protects<n id="4" /> Jacob;p> <p class="poetry">he reveals his splendor through Israel.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Look up at the sky!p> <p class="poetry">Look at the earth below!p> <p class="poetry">For the sky will dissipate<n id="1" /> like smoke,p> <p class="poetry">and the earth will wear out like clothes;p> <p class="poetry">its residents will die like gnats.p> <p class="poetry">But the deliverance I give<n id="2" /> is permanent;p> <p class="poetry">the vindication I provide<n id="3" /> will not disappear.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Why do you forget<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc>, who made you,p> <p class="poetry">who stretched out the sky<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and founded the earth?p> <p class="poetry">Why do you constantly tremble all day long<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">at the anger of the oppressor,p> <p class="poetry">when he makes plans to destroy?p> <p class="poetry">Where is the anger of the oppressor?<n id="4" />p>