1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

"We have a strong city;

He sets up salvation as walls and ramparts.

2 "Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter,

The one that *remains faithful and trustworthy.

3 "You will keep in *perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both *inclination and character],

Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].

4 "Trust [confidently] in the Lord forever [He is your fortress, your shield, your banner],

For the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].

5 "For He has thrown down the [arrogant] ones who dwell on high, the lofty and inaccessible city;

He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He hurls it to the dust.

6 "The foot will trample it,

Even the feet of the suffering, and the steps of the helpless."

7 The way of the righteous [those in right-standing with God—living in moral and spiritual integrity] is smooth and level;

O Upright One, make a level path for the just and righteous.

8 Indeed, in the path of Your judgments, O Lord,

We have waited expectantly for You;

Your name, even Your memory, is the desire and deep longing of our souls.

9 In the night my soul longs for You [O Lord],

Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently;

For [only] when Your judgments are experienced on the earth

Will the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

10 Though the wicked is shown compassion and favor,

He does not learn righteousness;

In the land of uprightness he deals unjustly,

And refuses to see the majesty of the Lord.

11 Though Your hand is lifted up [to strike], O Lord, the wicked do not see it.

Let them see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame;

Indeed, let the fire reserved for Your enemies consume them.

12 Lord, You will establish peace for us,

Since You have also performed for us all that we have done.

13 O Lord our God, other masters besides You have ruled over us;

But through You alone we confess Your name.

14 The [wicked] dead will not live [again], the spirits of the dead will not rise and return;

Therefore You have punished and destroyed them,

And You have wiped out every memory of them [every trace of them].

15 You have increased the nation, O Lord;

You have increased the nation, You are glorified;

You have extended all the borders of the land.

16 O Lord, they sought You in distress;

They managed only a prayerful whisper

When Your discipline was upon them.

17 As a woman with child approaches the time to give birth,

She is in pain and struggles and cries out in her labor,

So we were before You, O Lord.

18 We have been with child, we have twisted and struggled in labor;

We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind.

We could not accomplish salvation for the earth,

Nor were inhabitants of the world *born.

19 Your dead will live;

*Their dead bodies will rise.

You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy!

For your dew is a dew of [celestial] light [heavenly, supernatural],

And the earth will give birth to the spirits of the dead. [Ezek 37:11, 12]

20 Come, my people, enter your chambers

And shut your doors behind you;

Hide for a little while

Until the [Lord’s] *wrath is past.

21 Listen carefully, the Lord is about to come out of His [heavenly] place

To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their wickedness [their sin, their injustice, their wrongdoing];

The earth will reveal the [innocent] blood shed upon her

And will no longer cover her slain.