Chapter 26

The Divine Vindicator. ¹On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:

“A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. ²Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. ^f Ps 118, 19f . ³A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you.” ^g Is 32, 17f; 54, 13 .

⁴Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock. ^h Is 30, 29; Ps 62, 8 . ⁵He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground, levels it with the dust. ⁱ Is 25, 12; 32, 19 . ⁶It is trampled underfoot by the needy, by the footsteps of the poor. ⁷The way of the just is smooth; the path of the just you make level. ^j Ps 23, 3f; Prv 11, 3. 5 . ⁸Yes, for your way and your judgments, O LORD, we look to you; Your name and your title are the desire of our souls, ⁹My soul yearns for you in the night, yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you; When your judgment dawns upon the earth, the world's inhabitants learn justice. ^K Ps 94, 15 . ¹⁰The wicked man, spared, does not learn justice; in an upright land he acts perversely, and sees not the majesty of the LORD. ^l Is 5, 12 . ¹¹O LORD, your hand is uplifted, but they behold it not; Let them be shamed when they see your zeal for your people: let the fire prepared for your enemies consume them. ¹²O LORD, you mete out peace to us, for it is you who have accomplished all we have done. ^m Jer 29, 11 . ¹³O LORD, our God, other lords than you have ruled us; it is from you only that we can call upon your name.

¹⁴Dead they are, they have no life, shades that cannot rise; For you have punished and destroyed them, and wiped out all memory of them. ¹⁵You have increased the nation, O LORD, increased the nation to your own glory, and extended far all the borders of the land. ⁿ Is 54, 2f; Neh 9, 23 . ¹⁶O LORD, oppressed by your punishment, we cried out in anguish under your chastising. ^o Hos 6, 1 . ¹⁷As a woman about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pains, so were we in your presence, O LORD. ^p Mi 4, 10 . ¹⁸We conceived and writhed in pain, giving birth to wind; Salvation we have not achieved for the earth, the inhabitants of the world cannot bring it forth. ¹⁹But your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise; awake and sing, you who lie in the dust. ^q Ez 37, 5f; Dn 12. 2; Hos 6, 2 . For your dew is a dew of light, and the land of shades gives birth.^*

Day of the Lord: Reward and Punishment

²⁰Go, my people, enter your chambers, and close your doors behind you; Hide yourselves for a brief moment, until the wrath is past. ²¹See, the LORD goes forth from his place, to punish the wickedness of the earth's inhabitants; The earth will reveal the blood upon her, and no longer conceal her slain. ^r Mi 1, 3 .