Ezekiel 13

New International Version

False Prophets Condemned

13 The word of the Lord came to me: ²“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets^(A) of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination:^(B) ‘Hear the word of the Lord!^(C) ³This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish^[a] prophets^(D) who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!^(E) ⁴Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. ⁵You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair^(F) it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.^(G) ⁶Their visions are false^(H) and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent^(I) them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.^(J) ⁷Have you not seen false visions^(K) and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken?

⁸“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you,^(L) declares the Sovereign Lord. ⁹My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying^(M) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records^(N) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(O)

¹⁰“‘Because they lead my people astray,^(P) saying, “Peace,”^(Q) when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,^(R) ¹¹therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones^(S) hurtling down,^(T) and violent winds will burst forth.^(U) ¹²When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”

¹³“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones^(V) and torrents of rain^(W) will fall with destructive fury.^(X) ¹⁴I will tear down the wall^(Y) you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation^(Z) will be laid bare. When it^[b] falls,^(AA) you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. ¹⁵So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, ¹⁶those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AB)”’

¹⁷“Now, son of man, set your face^(AC) against the daughters^(AD) of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them^(AE) ¹⁸and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? ¹⁹You have profaned^(AF) me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread.^(AG) By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.^(AH)

²⁰“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.^(AI) ²¹I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(AJ) ²²Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies,^(AK) when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,^(AL) ²³therefore you will no longer see false visions^(AM) or practice divination.^(AN) I will save^(AO) my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.^(AP)’”

Footnotes

Ezekiel 13:3 Or wicked
Ezekiel 13:14 Or the city

Psalm 52-54

New International Version

Psalm 52^[a]

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

¹Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
    Why do you boast^(B) all day long,^(C)
    you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
²You who practice deceit,^(D)
    your tongue plots destruction;^(E)
    it is like a sharpened razor.^(F)
³You love evil^(G) rather than good,
    falsehood^(H) rather than speaking the truth.^[c]
⁴You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!^(I)

⁵Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck^(J) you from your tent;
    he will uproot^(K) you from the land of the living.^(L)
⁶The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh^(M) at you, saying,
⁷“Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold^(N)
but trusted in his great wealth^(O)
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

⁸But I am like an olive tree^(P)
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust^(Q) in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
⁹For what you have done I will always praise you^(R)
    in the presence of your faithful people.^(S)
And I will hope in your name,^(T)
    for your name is good.^(U)

Psalm 53^[d]^(V)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[e] A maskil^[f] of David.

¹The fool^(W) says in his heart,
“There is no God.”^(X)
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
there is no one who does good.

²God looks down from heaven^(Y)
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,^(Z)
    any who seek God.^(AA)
³Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
    there is no one who does good,
    not even one.^(AB)

⁴Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;
    they never call on God.
⁵But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
    where there was nothing to dread.^(AC)
God scattered the bones^(AD) of those who attacked you;^(AE)
    you put them to shame,^(AF) for God despised them.^(AG)

⁶Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 54^[g]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[h] of David. When the Ziphites^(AH) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

¹Save me^(AI), O God, by your name;^(AJ)
vindicate me by your might.^(AK)
²Hear my prayer, O God;^(AL)
listen to the words of my mouth.

³Arrogant foes are attacking me;^(AM)
ruthless people^(AN) are trying to kill me^(AO)—
people without regard for God.^[i]^(AP)

⁴Surely God is my help;^(AQ)
the Lord is the one who sustains me.^(AR)

⁵Let evil recoil^(AS) on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness^(AT) destroy them.

⁶I will sacrifice a freewill offering^(AU) to you;
I will praise^(AV) your name, Lord, for it is good.^(AW)
⁷You have delivered me^(AX) from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.^(AY)

Footnotes

Psalm 52:1 In Hebrew texts 52:1-9 is numbered 52:3-11.
Psalm 52:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 52:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 5.
Psalm 53:1 In Hebrew texts 53:1-6 is numbered 53:2-7.
Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 53:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 54:1 In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.
Psalm 54:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.