25 Lord, you are my God.
    I ·honor [exalt] you and praise ·you [^Lyour name],
because you have done ·amazing [wonderful] things.
    ·You have done what you planned long ago [Your plans were made long ago];
    ·you have always done what you said you would do [they are faithful and trustworthy];
² You have made the city a ·pile of rocks [^Lheap]
    ·and have destroyed her walls [^Lthe fortified city into a ruin].
The ·city our enemies built with strong walls [or foreigners’ fortress] is gone;
    it will never be built again.
³ People from powerful nations will ·honor [glorify] you;
    ·cruel people from strong cities [^Lcities of cruel/ruthless people] will fear you.
⁴ You ·protect [^Lare a refuge/stronghold to] the poor;
    you protect the ·helpless [needy] when they are in ·danger [distress].
You are like a shelter from storms,
    like shade that protects them from the heat.
The ·cruel people attack [^Lbreath of the cruel/ruthless]
    like a rainstorm beating against the wall,
⁵     like the ·heat [or drought] in the desert.
But you, God, ·stop their violent attack [^Lsubdue/silence the uproar of foreigners].
    As the shadow from a cloud cools a hot day,
you silence the songs of ·those who have no mercy [the ruthless].

⁶ The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] will prepare a feast
    on this mountain [^CMount Zion; 24:23] for all people.
It will be a feast with all the best food and wine,
    the ·finest [tenderest; full of marrow] meat and ·wine [well-aged/filtered wines].
⁷ On this mountain God will ·destroy [swallow]
    the ·veil [shroud; covering] that covers all nations,
the ·veil [sheet] that stretches over all peoples [^Cdeath];
⁸     he will ·destroy [swallow up] death forever [1 Cor. 15:54].
The Lord God will wipe away every tear from every face [Rev. 7:17; 21:4].
    He will take away the ·shame [disgrace] of his people from the earth.
The Lord has spoken.