¹ I have taken refuge in the Lord.^(A)
How can you say to me,
“Escape to the mountains^[a] like a bird!^(B)
2 For look, the wicked string bows;
they put their arrows on bowstrings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.^(C)
3 When the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?” ^(D)

5 Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge^(A) of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
² Bethlehem Ephrathah,^(B)
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you^(C)
to be ruler over Israel for me.^(D)
His origin^[a] is from antiquity,^(E)
from ancient times.
³ Therefore, Israel will be abandoned^(F) until the time
when she who is in labor^(G) has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers^(H) will return
to the people of Israel.^(I)
4 He will stand and shepherd them^(J)
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.^(K)
5 He will be their peace.^(L)
When Assyria invades our land,^(M)
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
⁶ They will shepherd^(N) the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod^(O) with a drawn blade.^[b]
So he will rescue us^(P) from Assyria
when it invades our land,
when it marches against our territory.