<p class="poetry">Sing to the <sc>Lord,sc> for he has done magnificent things,p> <p class="poetry">let this be known<n id="1" /> throughout the earth!p>

<p class="poetry">They come from a distant land,p> <p class="poetry">from the horizon.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">It is the <sc>Lordsc> with his instruments of judgment,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">coming to destroy the whole earth.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I will turn her into a place that is overrun with wild animals<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and covered with pools of stagnant water.p> <p class="poetry">I will get rid of her, just as one sweeps away dirt with a broom,&#8221;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">says the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies.p>

<p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies has a plan,p> <p class="poetry">and who can possibly frustrate it?p> <p class="poetry">His hand is ready to strike,p> <p class="poetry">and who can possibly stop it?<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">How will they respond to the messengers of this nation?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, the <sc>Lordsc> has made Zion secure;p> <p class="poetry">the oppressed among his people will find safety in her.p>

<p class="poetry">O my downtrodden people, crushed like stalks on the threshing floor,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">what I have heardp> <p class="poetry">from the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies,p> <p class="poetry">the God of Israel,p> <p class="poetry">I have reported to you.p>

Just a handful of archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be left.&#8221;<n id="1" /> Indeed,<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel has spoken.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> stretched out his hand over the sea,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he shook kingdoms;p> <p class="poetry">he<n id="2" /> gave the orderp> <p class="poetry">to destroy Canaan&#8217;s fortresses.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Look, the <sc>Lordsc> is ready to devastate the earthp> <p class="poetry">and leave it in ruins;p> <p class="poetry">he will mar its surfacep> <p class="poetry">and scatter its inhabitants.p>

<p class="poetry">The earth will be completely devastatedp> <p class="poetry">and thoroughly ransacked.p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> has decreed this judgment.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Yes, as your judgments unfold,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc>, we wait for you.p> <p class="poetry">We desire your fame and reputation to grow.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc>, you make us secure,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for even all we have accomplished, you have done for us.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc>, our God,p> <p class="poetry">masters other than you have ruled us,p> <p class="poetry">but we praise your name alone.p>

<p class="poetry">You have made the nation larger,<n id="1" /> O <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">you have made the nation larger and revealed your splendor,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">you have extended all the borders of the land.p>

<p class="poetry">As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliverp> <p class="poetry">and strains and cries out because of her labor pains,p> <p class="poetry">so were we because of you, O <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, protect it;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I water it regularly.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I guard it night and day,p> <p class="poetry">so no one can harm it.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">At that time<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies will become a beautiful crownp> <p class="poetry">and a splendid diadem for the remnant of his people.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Therefore, listen to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s word,p> <p class="poetry">you who mock,p> <p class="poetry">you rulers of these peoplep> <p class="poetry">who reside in Jerusalem!<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">This also comes from the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies,p> <p class="poetry">who gives supernatural guidance and imparts great wisdom.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">The downtrodden will again rejoice in the <sc>Lordsc>;p> <p class="poetry">the poor among humankind will take delight<n id="1" /> in the Holy One of Israel.<n id="2" />p>