He upholds(A) the cause of the oppressed(B)
    and gives food to the hungry.(C)
The Lord sets prisoners free,(D)

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The Lord works righteousness(A)
    and justice for all the oppressed.(B)

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God sets the lonely(A) in families,[a](B)
    he leads out the prisoners(C) with singing;
    but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 68:6 Or the desolate in a homeland

11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant(A) with you,
    I will free your prisoners(B) from the waterless pit.(C)
12 Return to your fortress,(D) you prisoners of hope;
    even now I announce that I will restore twice(E) as much to you.

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The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61 The Spirit(A) of the Sovereign Lord(B) is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed(C) me
    to proclaim good news(D) to the poor.(E)
He has sent me to bind up(F) the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom(G) for the captives(H)
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,(A)
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news(B) to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,

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Set me free from my prison,(A)
    that I may praise your name.(B)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(C)

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18 defending the fatherless(A) and the oppressed,(B)
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

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53 He has filled the hungry with good things(A)
    but has sent the rich away empty.

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“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,(A) adulterers(B) and perjurers,(C) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,(D) who oppress the widows(E) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners(F) among you of justice, but do not fear(G) me,” says the Lord Almighty.

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14 I will satisfy(A) the priests(B) with abundance,
    and my people will be filled with my bounty,(C)
declares the Lord.

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For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,(A)
    you have shattered(B)
the yoke(C) that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,(D)
    the rod of their oppressor.(E)

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Saying 11

10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(A)
    or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender(B) is strong;(C)
    he will take up their case against you.(D)

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Saying 2

22 Do not exploit the poor(A) because they are poor
    and do not crush the needy in court,(B)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(C)
    and will exact life for life.(D)

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15 The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food(A) at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
    and satisfy the desires(B) of every living thing.

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25 He gives food(A) to every creature.
His love endures forever.

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14 He brought them out of darkness,(A) the utter darkness,(B)
    and broke away their chains.(C)
15 Let them give thanks(D) to the Lord for his unfailing love(E)
    and his wonderful deeds(F) for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

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for he satisfies(A) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.(B)

10 Some sat in darkness,(C) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering(D) in iron chains,(E)

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17 and he sent a man before them—
    Joseph, sold as a slave.(A)
18 They bruised his feet with shackles,(B)
    his neck was put in irons,
19 till what he foretold(C) came to pass,
    till the word(D) of the Lord proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him,
    the ruler of peoples set him free.(E)

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May he defend the afflicted(A) among the people
    and save the children of the needy;(B)
    may he crush the oppressor.(C)

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“Because the poor are plundered(A) and the needy groan,(B)
    I will now arise,(C)” says the Lord.
    “I will protect them(D) from those who malign them.”

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14 But you, God, see the trouble(A) of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;(B)
    you are the helper(C) of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;(D)
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

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16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
    the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.

26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.(A) At once all the prison doors flew open,(B) and everyone’s chains came loose.(C)

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19 But during the night an angel(A) of the Lord opened the doors of the jail(B) and brought them out.(C)

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