<t /><p class="poetry">Now, this is what the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">the one who created you, O Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">and formed you, O Israel:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid, for I will protect<n id="1" /> you.p> <p class="poetry">I call you by name, you are mine.p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc>, the one who made you, says &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">the one who formed you in the womb and helps you:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid, my servant Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">Jeshurun,<n id="1" /> whom I have chosen!p>

<p class="poetry">Listen to me, you who know what is right,p> <p class="poetry">you people who are aware of my law!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Don&#8217;t be afraid of the insults of men;p> <p class="poetry">don&#8217;t be discouraged because of their abuse!p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I, I am the one who consoles you.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Why are you afraid of mortal men,p> <p class="poetry">of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass?<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">In the west, people respect<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s reputation;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">in the east they recognize his splendor.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">For he comes like a rushing<n id="4" /> streamp> <p class="poetry">driven on by wind sent from the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">They do not say to themselves,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Let us revere the <sc>Lordsc> our God.p> <p class="poetry">It is he who gives us the autumn rains and the spring rains at the proper time.p> <p class="poetry">It is he who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Everyone should revere you, O King of all nations,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">because you deserve to be revered.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For there is no one like youp> <p class="poetry">among any of the wise people of the nations nor among any of their kings.<n id="3" />p>

I will install rulers<n id="1" /> over them who will care for them. Then they will no longer need to fear or be terrified. None of them will turn up missing.<n id="2" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, promise it!<n id="3" />p>

When the king and all his bodyguards<n id="1" /> and officials heard what he was prophesying,<n id="2" /> the king sought to have him executed. But Uriah found out about it and fled to Egypt out of fear.<n id="3" />

I will give them a single-minded purpose to live in a way that always shows respect for me. They will want to do that for<n id="1" /> their own good and the good of the children who descend from them.

To this day your people<n id="1" /> have shown no contrition! They have not revered me nor followed the laws and statutes I commanded<n id="2" /> you and your ancestors.&#8217;p>

<p class="poetry">Do not lose your courage or become afraidp> <p class="poetry">because of the reports that are heard in the land.p> <p class="poetry">For a report will come in one year.p> <p class="poetry">Another report will follow it in the next.p> <p class="poetry">There will be violence in the landp> <p class="poetry">with ruler fighting against ruler.&#8221;p>

I have made your forehead harder than flint &#8211; like diamond!<n id="1" /> Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you,<n id="2" /> for they are a rebellious house.&#8221;p>

I prayed to the <sc>LORDsc> my God, confessing in this way:p> <p class="bodytext">&#8220;O Lord,<n id="1" /> great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant<n id="2" /> with those who love him and keep his commandments,

He said to me, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid, you who are valued.<n id="1" /> Peace be to you! Be strong! Be really strong!&#8221; When he spoke to me, I was strengthened. I said, &#8220;Sir, you may speak now,<n id="2" /> for you have given me strength.&#8221;

<t /><p class="poetry">Very soon they will say, &#8220;We have no kingp> <p class="poetry">since we did not fear the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="poetry">But what can a king do for us anyway?&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Do not fear, wild animals!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For the pastures of the wilderness are again green with grass.p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, the trees bear their fruit;p> <p class="poetry">the fig tree and the vine yield to their fullest.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">They will lick the dust like a snake,p> <p class="poetry">like serpents crawling on the ground.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They will come trembling from their strongholdsp> <p class="poetry">to the <sc>Lordsc> our God;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they will be terrified<n id="3" /> of you.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry"><sc>Lordsc>, I have heard the report of what you did;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I am awed,<n id="2" /> <sc>Lordsc>, by what you accomplished.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">In our time<n id="4" /> repeat those deeds;<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">in our time reveal them again.<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">But when you cause turmoil, remember to show us mercy!<n id="7" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> will terrify them,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for<n id="2" /> he will weaken<n id="3" /> all the gods of the earth.p> <p class="poetry">All the distant nations will worship the <sc>Lordsc> in their own lands.<n id="4" />p>