⁴ But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord,
    a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.
You are a refuge from the storm
    and a shelter from the heat.
For the oppressive acts of ruthless people
    are like a storm beating against a wall,
⁵     or like the relentless heat of the desert.
But you silence the roar of foreign nations.
    As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat,
    so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.

⁶ In Jerusalem,^[a] the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will spread a wonderful feast
    for all the people of the world.
It will be a delicious banquet
    with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.
⁷ There he will remove the cloud of gloom,
    the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.
⁸ He will swallow up death forever!
    The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.
He will remove forever all insults and mockery
    against his land and people.
    The Lord has spoken!

⁹ In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God!
    We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
    Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”
¹⁰ For the Lord’s hand of blessing will rest on Jerusalem.
    But Moab will be crushed.
    It will be like straw trampled down and left to rot.
¹¹ God will push down Moab’s people
    as a swimmer pushes down water with his hands.
He will end their pride
    and all their evil works.
¹² The high walls of Moab will be demolished.
    They will be brought down to the ground,
    down into the dust.

It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
²⁴ A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,”
    will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.
²⁵ But it will go well for those who convict the guilty;
    rich blessings will be showered on them.

²⁶ An honest answer
    is like a kiss of friendship.

²⁷ Do your planning and prepare your fields
    before building your house.

²⁸ Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;
    don’t lie about them.
²⁹ And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me!
    I’ll get even with them!”

³⁰ I walked by the field of a lazy person,
    the vineyard of one with no common sense.
³¹ I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
    It was covered with weeds,
    and its walls were broken down.
³² Then, as I looked and thought about it,
    I learned this lesson:
³³ A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest—
³⁴ then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
    scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

¹ Come with great power, O God, and rescue me!
    Defend me with your might.
² Listen to my prayer, O God.
    Pay attention to my plea.
³ For strangers are attacking me;
    violent people are trying to kill me.
    They care nothing for God. Interlude

⁴ But God is my helper.
    The Lord keeps me alive!
⁵ May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them.
    Do as you promised and put an end to them.

⁶ I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you;
    I will praise your name, O Lord,
    for it is good.
⁷ For you have rescued me from my troubles
    and helped me to triumph over my enemies.