<p class="poetry">For, look, darkness covers the earthp> <p class="poetry">and deep darkness covers<n id="1" /> the nations,p> <p class="poetry">but the <sc>Lordsc> shines on you;p> <p class="poetry">his splendor<n id="2" /> appears over you.p>

<p class="poetry">Camel caravans will cover your roads,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">young camels from Midian and Ephah.p> <p class="poetry">All the merchants of Sheba<n id="2" /> will come,p> <p class="poetry">bringing gold and incensep> <p class="poetry">and singing praises to the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">You will drink the milk of nations;p> <p class="poetry">you will nurse at the breasts of kings.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Then you will recognize that I, the <sc>Lordsc>, am your deliverer,p> <p class="poetry">your protector,<n id="2" /> the powerful ruler of Jacob.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Your sun will no longer set;p> <p class="poetry">your moon will not disappear;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> will be your permanent source of light;p> <p class="poetry">your time<n id="2" /> of sorrow will be over.p>

<p class="poetry">You will be called, &#8216;the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s priests,p> <p class="poetry">servants of our God.&#8217;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You will enjoy<n id="2" /> the wealth of nationsp> <p class="poetry">and boast about<n id="3" /> the riches you receive from them.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">For I, the <sc>Lordsc>, love justicep> <p class="poetry">and hate robbery and sin.p> <p class="poetry">I will repay them because of my faithfulness;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will make a permanent covenant with them.p>

<p class="poetry">Their descendants will be known among the nations,p> <p class="poetry">their offspring among the peoples.p> <p class="poetry">All who see them will recognize thatp> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> has blessed them.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">For just as the ground produces its cropsp> <p class="poetry">and a garden yields its produce,p> <p class="poetry">so the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> will cause deliverance<n id="1" /> to grow,p> <p class="poetry">and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Nations will see your vindication,p> <p class="poetry">and all kings your splendor.p> <p class="poetry">You will be called by a new namep> <p class="poetry">that the <sc>Lordsc> himself will give you.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">I<n id="1" /> post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;p> <p class="poetry">they should keep praying all day and all night.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You who pray to<n id="3" /> the <sc>Lordsc>, don&#8217;t be silent!p>

<p class="poetry">Look, the <sc>Lordsc> announces to the entire earth:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Say to Daughter Zion,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Look, your deliverer comes!p> <p class="poetry">Look, his reward is with himp> <p class="poetry">and his reward goes before him!&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Like an animal that goes down into a valley to graze,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">so the Spirit of the <sc>Lordsc> granted them rest.p> <p class="poetry">In this way<n id="2" /> you guided your people,p> <p class="poetry">gaining for yourself an honored reputation.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For you are our father,p> <p class="poetry">though Abraham does not know usp> <p class="poetry">and Israel does not recognize us.p> <p class="poetry">You, <sc>Lordsc>, are our father;p> <p class="poetry">you have been called our protector from ancient times.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry"><sc>Lordsc>, do not be too angry!p> <p class="poetry">Do not hold our sins against us continually!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Take a good look at your people, at all of us!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">But as for you who abandon the <sc>Lordsc>p> <p class="poetry">and forget about worshiping at<n id="1" /> my holy mountain,p> <p class="poetry">who prepare a feast for the god called &#8216;Fortune,&#8217;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and fill up wine jugs for the god called &#8216;Destiny&#8217;<n id="3" /> &#8211;p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The heavens are my thronep> <p class="poetry">and the earth is my footstool.p> <p class="poetry">Where then is the house you will build for me?p> <p class="poetry">Where is the place where I will rest?p>

<p class="poetry">When you see this, you will be happy,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and you will be revived.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> will reveal his power to his servantsp> <p class="poetry">and his anger to his enemies.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For look, the <sc>Lordsc> comes with fire,p> <p class="poetry">his chariots come like a windstorm,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">to reveal his raging anger,p> <p class="poetry">his battle cry, and his flaming arrows.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards,<n id="1" /> those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice<n id="2" /> &#8211; they will all be destroyed together,&#8221;<n id="3" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>.

&#8220;For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;so your descendants and your name will remain.