<p class="poetry">I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;p> <p class="poetry">they will get drunk on their own blood, as if it were wine.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Then all humankind<n id="2" /> will recognize thatp> <p class="poetry">I am the <sc>Lordsc>, your deliverer,p> <p class="poetry">your protector,<n id="3" /> the powerful ruler of Jacob.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">He sees there is no advocate;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he is shocked<n id="2" /> that no one intervenes.p> <p class="poetry">So he takes matters into his own hands;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">his desire for justice drives him on.<n id="4" />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>

<t /><p class="poetry">Who is this who comes from Edom,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Who<n id="3" /> is this one wearing royal attire,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">who marches confidently<n id="5" /> because of his great strength?p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;It is I, the one who announces vindication,p> <p class="poetry">and who is able to deliver!&#8221;<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">Through all that they suffered, he suffered too.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">The messenger sent from his very presence<n id="2" /> delivered them.p> <p class="poetry">In his love and mercy he protected<n id="3" /> them;p> <p class="poetry">he lifted them up and carried them throughout ancient times.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">You assist<n id="1" /> those who delight in doing what is right,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">who observe your commandments.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Look, you were angry because we violated them continually.p> <p class="poetry">How then can we be saved?<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">They say to a wooden idol,<n id="1" /> &#8216;You are my father.&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">They say to a stone image, &#8216;You gave birth to me.&#8217;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Yes, they have turned away from me instead of turning to me.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Yet when they are in trouble, they say, &#8216;Come and save us!&#8217;p>

<p class="poetry">But where are the gods you made for yourselves?p> <p class="poetry">Let them save you when you are in trouble.p> <p class="poetry">The sad fact is that<n id="1" /> you have as many godsp> <p class="poetry">as you have towns, Judah.p>

<p class="poetry">Why should you be like someone who is helpless,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">like a champion<n id="2" /> who cannot save anyone?p> <p class="poetry">You are indeed with us,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and we belong to you.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not abandon us!&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">I will make you as strong as a wall to these people,p> <p class="poetry">a fortified wall of bronze.p> <p class="poetry">They will attack you,p> <p class="poetry">but they will not be able to overcome you.p> <p class="poetry">For I will be with you to rescue you and deliver you,&#8221;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">Alas, what a terrible time of trouble it is!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">There has never been any like it.p> <p class="poetry">It is a time of trouble for the descendants of Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">but some of them will be rescued out of it.<n id="2" />p>

Under his rule Judah will enjoy safety<n id="1" /> and Jerusalem<n id="2" /> will live in security. At that time Jerusalem will be called &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> has provided us with justice.&#8221;<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="lamhebrew">&#1506; (<i>Ayini>)p> <p class="poetry">Our eyes continually failed usp> <p class="poetry">as we looked in vain for help.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">From our watchtowers we watchedp> <p class="poetry">for a nation that could not rescue us.p>

I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you.

<p class="poetry">Where<n id="1" /> then is your king,p> <p class="poetry">that he may save you in all your cities?p> <p class="poetry">Where are<n id="2" /> your rulers for whom you asked, saying,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Give me a king and princes&#8221;?p>

<p class="poetry">Assyria cannot save us;p> <p class="poetry">we will not ride warhorses.p> <p class="poetry">We will never again say, &#8216;Our gods&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">to what our own hands have made.p> <p class="poetry">For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> your God is in your midst;p> <p class="poetry">he is a warrior who can deliver.p> <p class="poetry">He takes great delight in you;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he renews you by his love;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he shouts for joy over you.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Look, at that time I will deal with those who mistreated you.p> <p class="poetry">I will rescue the lame sheep<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and gather together the scattered sheep.p> <p class="poetry">I will take away their humiliationp> <p class="poetry">and make the whole earth admire and respect them.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all asserts, &#8216;I am about to save my people from the lands of the east and the west.

And it will come about that just as you (both Judah and Israel) were a curse to the nations, so I will save you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid! Instead, be strong!&#8217;p>