⁴ Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob,
    all you clans of Israel.

“What fault did your ancestors find in me,
    that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols^(A)
    and became worthless^(B) themselves.
⁶ They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,
    who brought us up out of Egypt^(C)
and led us through the barren wilderness,
    through a land of deserts^(D) and ravines,^(E)
a land of drought and utter darkness,
    a land where no one travels^(F) and no one lives?’
⁷ I brought you into a fertile land
    to eat its fruit and rich produce.^(G)
But you came and defiled my land
    and made my inheritance detestable.^(H)
8 The priests did not ask,
    ‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;^(I)
    the leaders^(J) rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,^(K)
    following worthless idols.^(L)

⁹ “Therefore I bring charges^(M) against you again,”
declares the Lord.
    “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
¹⁰ Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus^(N) and look,
    send to Kedar^[a](O) and observe closely;
    see if there has ever been anything like this:
¹¹ Has a nation ever changed its gods?
    (Yet they are not gods^(P) at all.)
But my people have exchanged their glorious^(Q) God
    for worthless idols.
¹² Be appalled at this, you heavens,
    and shudder with great horror,”
declares the Lord.
¹³ “My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken^(R) me,
    the spring of living water,^(S)
and have dug their own cisterns,
    broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

¹⁰ I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.^(A)
Open^(B) wide your mouth and I will fill^(C) it.

¹¹ “But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.^(D)
12 So I gave them over^(E) to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.

¹³ “If my people would only listen to me,^(F)
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
¹⁴ how quickly I would subdue^(G) their enemies
    and turn my hand against^(H) their foes!
¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe^(I) before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
¹⁶ But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;^(J)
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

⁶ Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
    and do not claim a place among his great men;
⁷ it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”^(A)
    than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

What you have seen with your eyes

Blessed are those^(B) who fear the Lord,^(C)
    who find great delight^(D) in his commands.

² Their children^(E) will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches^(F) are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures^(G) forever.
⁴ Even in darkness light dawns^(H) for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.^(I)
5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,^(J)
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

⁶ Surely the righteous will never be shaken;^(K)
    they will be remembered^(L) forever.
⁷ They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast,^(M) trusting in the Lord.^(N)
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;^(O)
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.^(P)
9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,^(Q)
    their righteousness endures^(R) forever;
    their horn^[c] will be lifted^(S) high in honor.

¹⁰ The wicked will see^(T) and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth^(U) and waste away;^(V)
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.^(W)

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.”^[a](I)

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?”^[b](J)