Through the Bible – Day 358

₂Our LORD, how long must I beg

for your help

before you listen?

How long before you save us

from all this violence?

₃Why do you make me watch

such terrible injustice?

Why do you allow violence,

lawlessness, crime, and cruelty

to spread everywhere?

₄Laws cannot be enforced;

justice is always the loser;

criminals crowd out honest people

and twist the laws around.

₅Look and be amazed

at what's happening

among the nations!

Even if you were told,

you would never believe

what's taking place now.

₆I am sending the Babylonians.

They are fierce and cruel—

marching across the land,

conquering cities and towns.

₇How fearsome and frightening.

Their only laws and rules

are the ones they make up.

₈Their cavalry troops are faster

than leopards,

more ferocious than wolves

hunting at sunset,

and swifter than hungry eagles

suddenly swooping down.

₉They are eager to destroy,

and they gather captives

like handfuls of sand.

₁₀They make fun of rulers

and laugh at fortresses,

while building earth mounds

so they can capture cities.

₁₁Then suddenly they disappear

like a gust of wind—

those sinful people who worship

their own strength.

₁₂Holy LORD God, mighty rock,

you are eternal,

and we are safe from death.

You are using those Babylonians

to judge and punish others.

₁₃But you can't stand sin or wrong.

So don't sit by in silence

while they gobble up people

who are better than they are.

₁₄The people you put on this earth

are like fish or reptiles

without a leader.

₁₅Then an enemy comes along

and takes them captive

with hooks and nets.

It makes him so happy

₁₆that he offers sacrifices

to his fishing nets,

because they make him rich

and provide choice foods.

₁₇Will he keep hauling in his nets

and destroying nations

without showing mercy?

₁While standing guard

on the watchtower,

I waited for the LORD's answer,

before explaining the reason

for my complaint.

₂Then the LORD told me:

“I will give you my message

in the form of a vision.

Write it clearly enough

to be read at a glance.

₃At the time I have decided,

my words will come true.

You can trust what I say

about the future.

It may take a long time,

but keep on waiting—

it will happen!

₄“I, the LORD, refuse to accept

anyone who is proud.

Only those who live by faith

are acceptable to me.”

₅Wine is treacherous,

and arrogant people

are never satisfied.

They are no less greedy

than death itself—

they open their mouths as wide

as the world of the dead

and swallow everyone.

₆But they will be mocked

with these words:

You're doomed!

You stored up stolen goods

and cheated others

of what belonged to them.

₇But without warning,

those you owe

will demand payment.

Then you will become

a frightened victim.

₈You robbed cities and nations

everywhere on earth

and murdered their people.

Now those who survived

will be as cruel to you.

₉You're doomed!

You made your family rich

at the expense of others.

You even said to yourself,

“I'm above the law.”

₁₀But you will bring shame

on your family

and ruin to yourself

for what you did to others.

₁₁The very stones and wood

in your home

will testify against you.

₁₂You're doomed! You built a city

on crime and violence.

₁₃But the LORD All-Powerful

sends up in flames

what nations and people

work so hard to gain.

₁₄Just as water fills the sea,

the land will be filled

with people who know

and honour the LORD.

₁₅You're doomed!

You get your friends drunk,

just to see them naked.

₁₆Now you will be disgraced

instead of praised.

The LORD will make you drunk,

and when others see you naked,

you will lose their respect.

₁₇You destroyed trees and animals

on Mount Lebanon;

you were ruthless to towns

and people everywhere.

Now you will be terrorized.

₁₈What is an idol worth?

It's merely a false god.

Why trust a speechless image

made from wood or metal

by human hands?

₁₉What can you learn from idols

covered with silver or gold?

They can't even breathe.

Pity anyone who says to an idol

of wood or stone,

“Get up and do something!”

₂₀Let all the world be silent—

the LORD is present

in his holy temple.

₁This is my prayer:

₂I know your reputation, LORD,

and I am amazed

at what you have done.

Please turn from your anger

and be merciful;

do for us what you did

for our ancestors.

₃You are the same Holy God

who came from Teman

and Paran to help us.

The brightness of your glory

covered the heavens,

and your praises were heard

everywhere on earth.

₄Your glory shone like the sun,

and light flashed from your hands,

hiding your mighty power.

₅Dreadful diseases and plagues

marched in front

and followed behind.

₆When you stopped,

the earth shook;

when you stared,

nations trembled;

when you walked

along your ancient paths,

eternal mountains and hills

crumbled and collapsed.

₇The tents of desert tribes

in Cushan and Midian

were ripped apart.

₈Our LORD, were you angry

with the monsters

of the deep?

You attacked in your chariot

and wiped them out.

₉Your arrows were ready

and obeyed your commands.

You split the earth apart

with rivers and streams;

₁₀mountains trembled

at the sight of you;

rain poured from the clouds;

ocean waves roared and rose.

₁₁The sun and moon stood still,

while your arrows and spears

flashed like lightning.

₁₂In your furious anger,

you trampled on nations

₁₃to rescue your people

and save your chosen one.

You crushed a nation's ruler

and stripped his evil kingdom

of its power.

₁₄His troops had come like a storm,

hoping to scatter us

and glad to gobble us up.

To them we were refugees

in hiding—

but you smashed their heads

with their own weapons.

₁₅Then your chariots churned

the waters of the sea.

₁₆When I heard this message,

I felt weak from fear,

and my lips quivered.

My bones seemed to melt,

and I stumbled around.

But I will patiently wait.

Some day those vicious enemies

will be struck by disaster.

₁₇Fig trees may no longer bloom,

or vineyards produce grapes;

olive trees may be fruitless,

and harvest time a failure;

sheep pens may be empty,

and cattle stalls vacant—

₁₈but I will still celebrate

because the LORD God

saves me.

₁₉The LORD gives me strength.

He makes my feet as sure

as those of a deer,

and he helps me stand

on the mountains.

To the music director:

Use stringed instruments.

“Lord God All-Powerful,

you have done great

and marvellous things.

You are the ruler

of all nations,

and you do what is

right and fair.

₄Lord, who doesn't honour

and praise your name?

You alone are holy,

and all nations will come

and worship you,

because you have shown

that you judge

with fairness.”