Then the <sc>Lordsc> relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people.p>

<p class="poetry">He announced that he would do mighty deeds for his people,p> <p class="poetry">giving them a land that belonged to other nations.<n id="1" />p>

For David said, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel has given his people rest and has permanently settled in Jerusalem.<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> gives<n id="1" /> his people strength;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> grants his people security.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">He delivered his people;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he ordained that his covenant be observed forever.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">His name is holy and awesome.p>

<p class="poetry">As the mountains surround Jerusalem,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">so the <sc>Lordsc> surrounds his people,p> <p class="poetry">now and forevermore.p>

<p class="poetry">He has made his people victorious,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and given all his loyal followers reason to praise &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">the Israelites, the people who are close to him.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Praise the <sc>Lordsc>!p>

Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking<n id="1" /> Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives.<n id="2" /> He worked enthusiastically<n id="3" /> for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of<n id="4" /> all his descendants.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Yes,<n id="1" /> he struck a rock and water flowed out,p> <p class="poetry">streams gushed forth.p> <p class="poetry">But can he also give us food?p> <p class="poetry">Will he provide meat for his people?&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> roars from Zion;p> <p class="poetry">from Jerusalem<n id="1" /> his voice bellows out.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">The heavens<n id="3" /> and the earth shake.p> <p class="poetry">But the <sc>Lordsc> is a refuge for his people;p> <p class="poetry">he is a stronghold for the citizens<n id="4" /> of Israel.p>

&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> is worthy of praise because he has made Israel his people secure<n id="1" /> just as he promised! Not one of all the faithful promises he made through his servant Moses is left unfulfilled!<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> responded<n id="1" /> to his people,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Look! I am about to restore your grain<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">as well as fresh wine and olive oil.p> <p class="poetry">You will be fully satisfied.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I will never again make you an object of mockery among the nations.p>