² “Announce and proclaim^(C) among the nations,
    lift up a banner^(D) and proclaim it;
    keep nothing back, but say,
‘Babylon will be captured;^(E)
    Bel^(F) will be put to shame,^(G)
    Marduk^(H) filled with terror.
Her images will be put to shame
    and her idols^(I) filled with terror.’
³ A nation from the north^(J) will attack her
    and lay waste her land.
No one will live^(K) in it;
    both people and animals^(L) will flee away.

⁴ “In those days, at that time,”
    declares the Lord,
“the people of Israel and the people of Judah together^(M)
    will go in tears^(N) to seek^(O) the Lord their God.
⁵ They will ask the way^(P) to Zion
    and turn their faces toward it.
They will come^(Q) and bind themselves to the Lord
    in an everlasting covenant^(R)
    that will not be forgotten.

⁶ “My people have been lost sheep;^(S)
    their shepherds^(T) have led them astray^(U)
    and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill^(V)
    and forgot their own resting place.^(W)
7 Whoever found them devoured^(X) them;
    their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty,^(Y)
for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture,
    the Lord, the hope^(Z) of their ancestors.’

⁸ “Flee^(AA) out of Babylon;^(AB)
    leave the land of the Babylonians,
    and be like the goats that lead the flock.
⁹ For I will stir^(AC) up and bring against Babylon
    an alliance of great nations^(AD) from the land of the north.^(AE)
They will take up their positions against her,
    and from the north she will be captured.^(AF)
Their arrows^(AG) will be like skilled warriors
    who do not return empty-handed.
¹⁰ So Babylonia^[b] will be plundered;^(AH)
    all who plunder her will have their fill,”
declares the Lord.

¹¹ “Because you rejoice and are glad,
    you who pillage my inheritance,^(AI)
because you frolic like a heifer^(AJ) threshing grain
    and neigh like stallions,
¹² your mother will be greatly ashamed;
    she who gave you birth will be disgraced.^(AK)
She will be the least of the nations—
    a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.^(AL)
13 Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabited
    but will be completely desolate.^(AM)
All who pass Babylon will be appalled;^(AN)
    they will scoff^(AO) because of all her wounds.^(AP)

¹⁴ “Take up your positions around Babylon,
    all you who draw the bow.^(AQ)
Shoot at her! Spare no arrows,^(AR)
    for she has sinned against the Lord.
¹⁵ Shout^(AS) against her on every side!
    She surrenders, her towers fall,
    her walls^(AT) are torn down.
Since this is the vengeance^(AU) of the Lord,
    take vengeance on her;
    do to her^(AV) as she has done to others.^(AW)
16 Cut off from Babylon the sower,
    and the reaper with his sickle at harvest.
Because of the sword^(AX) of the oppressor
    let everyone return to their own people,^(AY)
    let everyone flee to their own land.^(AZ)

¹⁷ “Israel is a scattered flock^(BA)
    that lions^(BB) have chased away.
The first to devour^(BC) them
    was the king^(BD) of Assyria;
the last to crush their bones^(BE)
    was Nebuchadnezzar^(BF) king^(BG) of Babylon.”

“I will punish the king of Babylon and his land
    as I punished the king^(BH) of Assyria.^(BI)
19 But I will bring^(BJ) Israel back to their own pasture,
    and they will graze on Carmel and Bashan;
their appetite will be satisfied^(BK)
    on the hills^(BL) of Ephraim and Gilead.^(BM)
20 In those days, at that time,”
    declares the Lord,
“search will be made for Israel’s guilt,
    but there will be none,^(BN)
and for the sins^(BO) of Judah,
    but none will be found,
    for I will forgive^(BP) the remnant^(BQ) I spare.

²¹ “Attack the land of Merathaim
    and those who live in Pekod.^(BR)
Pursue, kill and completely destroy^[c] them,”
declares the Lord.
    “Do everything I have commanded you.
²² The noise^(BS) of battle is in the land,
    the noise of great destruction!
²³ How broken and shattered
    is the hammer^(BT) of the whole earth!^(BU)
How desolate^(BV) is Babylon
    among the nations!
²⁴ I set a trap^(BW) for you, Babylon,
    and you were caught before you knew it;
you were found and captured^(BX)
    because you opposed^(BY) the Lord.
²⁵ The Lord has opened his arsenal
    and brought out the weapons^(BZ) of his wrath,
for the Sovereign Lord Almighty has work to do
    in the land of the Babylonians.^(CA)
26 Come against her from afar.^(CB)
    Break open her granaries;
    pile her up like heaps of grain.^(CC)
Completely destroy^(CD) her
    and leave her no remnant.
²⁷ Kill all her young bulls;^(CE)
    let them go down to the slaughter!^(CF)
Woe to them! For their day^(CG) has come,
    the time^(CH) for them to be punished.
²⁸ Listen to the fugitives^(CI) and refugees from Babylon
    declaring in Zion^(CJ)
how the Lord our God has taken vengeance,^(CK)
    vengeance for his temple.^(CL)

²⁹ “Summon archers against Babylon,
    all those who draw the bow.^(CM)
Encamp all around her;
    let no one escape.^(CN)
Repay^(CO) her for her deeds;^(CP)
    do to her as she has done.
For she has defied^(CQ) the Lord,
    the Holy One^(CR) of Israel.
³⁰ Therefore, her young men^(CS) will fall in the streets;
    all her soldiers will be silenced in that day,”
declares the Lord.
³¹ “See, I am against^(CT) you, you arrogant one,”
    declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
“for your day^(CU) has come,
    the time for you to be punished.
³² The arrogant^(CV) one will stumble and fall^(CW)
    and no one will help her up;^(CX)
I will kindle a fire^(CY) in her towns
    that will consume all who are around her.”

“The people of Israel are oppressed,^(CZ)
    and the people of Judah as well.
All their captors hold them fast,
    refusing to let them go.^(DA)
34 Yet their Redeemer^(DB) is strong;
    the Lord Almighty^(DC) is his name.
He will vigorously defend their cause^(DD)
    so that he may bring rest^(DE) to their land,
    but unrest to those who live in Babylon.

³⁵ “A sword^(DF) against the Babylonians!”^(DG)
    declares the Lord—
“against those who live in Babylon
    and against her officials and wise^(DH) men!
³⁶ A sword against her false prophets!
    They will become fools.
A sword against her warriors!^(DI)
    They will be filled with terror.^(DJ)
37 A sword against her horses and chariots^(DK)
    and all the foreigners in her ranks!
    They will become weaklings.^(DL)
A sword against her treasures!^(DM)
    They will be plundered.
³⁸ A drought on^[d] her waters!^(DN)
    They will dry^(DO) up.
For it is a land of idols,^(DP)
    idols that will go mad with terror.

³⁹ “So desert creatures^(DQ) and hyenas will live there,
    and there the owl will dwell.
It will never again be inhabited
    or lived in from generation to generation.^(DR)
40 As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah^(DS)
    along with their neighboring towns,”
declares the Lord,
“so no one will live there;
    no people will dwell in it.^(DT)

⁴¹ “Look! An army is coming from the north;^(DU)
    a great nation and many kings
    are being stirred^(DV) up from the ends of the earth.^(DW)
42 They are armed with bows^(DX) and spears;
    they are cruel^(DY) and without mercy.^(DZ)
They sound like the roaring sea^(EA)
    as they ride on their horses;
they come like men in battle formation
    to attack you, Daughter Babylon.^(EB)
43 The king of Babylon has heard reports about them,
    and his hands hang limp.^(EC)
Anguish has gripped him,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.^(ED)
44 Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets^(EE)
    to a rich pastureland,
I will chase Babylon from its land in an instant.
    Who is the chosen^(EF) one I will appoint for this?
Who is like me and who can challenge me?^(EG)
    And what shepherd can stand against me?”

⁴⁵ Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Babylon,
    what he has purposed^(EH) against the land of the Babylonians:^(EI)
The young of the flock will be dragged away;
    their pasture will be appalled at their fate.
⁴⁶ At the sound of Babylon’s capture the earth will tremble;^(EJ)
    its cry^(EK) will resound among the nations.

³ Glorious things are said of you,
    city of God:^[a](C)
4 “I will record Rahab^[b](D) and Babylon
    among those who acknowledge me—
Philistia^(E) too, and Tyre^(F), along with Cush^[c]—
    and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”^[d](G)
5 Indeed, of Zion it will be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her,
    and the Most High himself will establish her.”
⁶ The Lord will write in the register^(H) of the peoples:
    “This one was born in Zion.”

⁷ As they make music^(I) they will sing,
    “All my fountains^(J) are in you.”

³ I am overwhelmed with troubles^(M)
    and my life draws near to death.^(N)
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;^(O)
    I am like one without strength.^(P)
5 I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off^(Q) from your care.

⁶ You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.^(R)
7 Your wrath^(S) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.^[h](T)
8 You have taken from me my closest friends^(U)
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined^(V) and cannot escape;^(W)
9     my eyes^(X) are dim with grief.

I call^(Y) to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands^(Z) to you.
¹⁰ Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?^(AA)
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness^(AB) in Destruction^[i]?
¹² Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

¹³ But I cry to you for help,^(AC) Lord;
    in the morning^(AD) my prayer comes before you.^(AE)
14 Why, Lord, do you reject^(AF) me
    and hide your face^(AG) from me?

¹⁵ From my youth^(AH) I have suffered^(AI) and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors^(AJ) and am in despair.^(AK)
16 Your wrath^(AL) has swept over me;
    your terrors^(AM) have destroyed me.
¹⁷ All day long they surround me like a flood;^(AN)
    they have completely engulfed me.
¹⁸ You have taken from me friend^(AO) and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.

⁵ The heavens^(AT) praise your wonders, Lord,
    your faithfulness too, in the assembly^(AU) of the holy ones.
⁶ For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
    Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?^(AV)
7 In the council^(AW) of the holy ones^(AX) God is greatly feared;
    he is more awesome than all who surround him.^(AY)
8 Who is like you,^(AZ) Lord God Almighty?^(BA)
    You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

⁹ You rule over the surging sea;
    when its waves mount up, you still them.^(BB)
10 You crushed Rahab^(BC) like one of the slain;
    with your strong arm you scattered^(BD) your enemies.
¹¹ The heavens are yours,^(BE) and yours also the earth;^(BF)
    you founded the world and all that is in it.^(BG)
12 You created the north and the south;
    Tabor^(BH) and Hermon^(BI) sing for joy^(BJ) at your name.
¹³ Your arm is endowed with power;
    your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.^(BK)

¹⁴ Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;^(BL)
    love and faithfulness go before you.^(BM)
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk^(BN) in the light^(BO) of your presence, Lord.
¹⁶ They rejoice in your name^(BP) all day long;
    they celebrate your righteousness.
¹⁷ For you are their glory and strength,^(BQ)
    and by your favor you exalt our horn.^[m](BR)
18 Indeed, our shield^[n](BS) belongs to the Lord,
    our king^(BT) to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹ Once you spoke in a vision,
    to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
    I have raised up a young man from among the people.
²⁰ I have found David^(BU) my servant;^(BV)
    with my sacred oil^(BW) I have anointed^(BX) him.
²¹ My hand will sustain him;
    surely my arm will strengthen him.^(BY)
22 The enemy will not get the better of him;^(BZ)
    the wicked will not oppress^(CA) him.
²³ I will crush his foes before him^(CB)
    and strike down his adversaries.^(CC)
24 My faithful love will be with him,^(CD)
    and through my name his horn^[o] will be exalted.
²⁵ I will set his hand over the sea,
    his right hand over the rivers.^(CE)
26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,^(CF)
    my God, the Rock^(CG) my Savior.’^(CH)
27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,^(CI)
    the most exalted^(CJ) of the kings^(CK) of the earth.
²⁸ I will maintain my love to him forever,
    and my covenant with him will never fail.^(CL)
29 I will establish his line forever,
    his throne as long as the heavens endure.^(CM)

³⁰ “If his sons forsake my law
    and do not follow my statutes,
³¹ if they violate my decrees
    and fail to keep my commands,
³² I will punish their sin with the rod,
    their iniquity with flogging;^(CN)
33 but I will not take my love from him,^(CO)
    nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
³⁴ I will not violate my covenant
    or alter what my lips have uttered.^(CP)
35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
    and I will not lie to David—
³⁶ that his line will continue forever
    and his throne endure before me like the sun;^(CQ)
37 it will be established forever like the moon,
    the faithful witness in the sky.”^(CR)

³⁸ But you have rejected,^(CS) you have spurned,
    you have been very angry with your anointed one.
³⁹ You have renounced the covenant with your servant
    and have defiled his crown in the dust.^(CT)
40 You have broken through all his walls^(CU)
    and reduced his strongholds^(CV) to ruins.
⁴¹ All who pass by have plundered^(CW) him;
    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.^(CX)
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
    you have made all his enemies rejoice.^(CY)
43 Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword
    and have not supported him in battle.^(CZ)
44 You have put an end to his splendor
    and cast his throne to the ground.
⁴⁵ You have cut short^(DA) the days of his youth;
    you have covered him with a mantle of shame.^(DB)

⁴⁶ How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your wrath burn like fire?^(DC)
47 Remember how fleeting is my life.^(DD)
    For what futility you have created all humanity!
⁴⁸ Who can live and not see death,
    or who can escape the power of the grave?^(DE)
49 Lord, where is your former great love,
    which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
⁵⁰ Remember, Lord, how your servant has^[p] been mocked,^(DF)
    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
⁵¹ the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,
    with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.^(DG)

⁵² Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.^(DH)