I listened and my stomach churned; ¹  the sound made my lips quiver. My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying, ²  and I shook as I tried to walk. ³  I long ⁴  for the day of distress to come upon ⁵  the people who attack us.

Because you robbed many countries, ¹  all who are left among the nations ²  will rob you. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, ³  and those who live in them.

But you trample on the sea with your horses, on the surging, raging waters. ¹ 

For the stones in the walls will cry out, and the wooden rafters will answer back. ¹ 

You made people like fish in the sea, like animals in the sea ¹  that have no ruler.

Your bow is ready for action; ¹  you commission your arrows. ²  Selah. You cause flash floods on the earth’s surface. ³ 

What good ¹  is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? ²  What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? ³  Why would its creator place his trust in it ⁴  and make ⁵  such mute, worthless things?

The Babylonian tyrant ¹  pulls them all up with a fishhook; he hauls them in with his throw net. ²  When he catches ³  them in his dragnet, he is very happy. ⁴ 

God comes ¹  from Teman, ²  the sovereign ³  one from Mount Paran. ⁴  Selah. ⁵  His splendor covers the skies, ⁶  his glory ⁷  fills the earth.

When the mountains see you, they shake. The torrential downpour sweeps through. ¹  The great deep ²  shouts out; it lifts its hands high. ³ 

They are frightening and terrifying; they decide for themselves what is right. ¹ 

Is the Lord mad at the rivers? Are you angry with the rivers? Are you enraged at the sea? ¹  Is this why ²  you climb into your horse-drawn chariots, ³  your victorious chariots? ⁴ 

“But all these nations will someday taunt him ¹  and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: ²  ‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead ³  (How long will this go on?) ⁴  – he who gets rich by extortion!’ ⁵ 

They mock kings and laugh at rulers. They laugh at every fortified city; they build siege ramps ¹  and capture them.

Your schemes will bring shame to your house. Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct. ¹ 

When ¹  the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines; when the olive trees do not produce, ²  and the fields yield no crops; ³  when the sheep disappear ⁴  from the pen, and there are no cattle in the stalls,

You are too just ¹  to tolerate ²  evil; you are unable to condone ³  wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? ⁴  Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour ⁵  those more righteous than they are? ⁶ 

How long, Lord, must I cry for help? But you do not listen! I call out to you, “Violence!” But you do not intervene! ¹ 

Will he then ¹  continue to fill and empty his throw net? ²  Will he always ³  destroy ⁴  nations and spare none? ⁵ 

For this reason the law lacks power, ¹  and justice is never carried out. ²  Indeed, ³  the wicked intimidate ⁴  the innocent. ⁵  For this reason justice is perverted. ⁶