Study Desk

The ^(C1)sin of Judah is written with an ^(C2)iron stylus; With a diamond point it is ^(C3)engraved on the tablet of their hearts And on the horns of ^(F1)their altars,

As they remember their ^(C1)children, So they remember their altars and their ^(F1)(C2)Asherim By ^(C3)green trees on the high hills.

^(C1)Mountain of Mine in the countryside, I will ^(C2)turn over your wealth and all your treasures as plunder, Your high places for sin throughout your borders.

And you will, even of yourself, ^(C1)let go of your inheritance That I gave you; And I will make you serve your ^(C2)enemies In the ^(C3)land which you do not know; For you have ^(C4)kindled a fire in My anger Which will burn forever.

This is what the LORD says: "^(C1)Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes ^(C2)flesh his ^(F1)strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD.

-"For he will be like a ^(C1)bush in the desert, And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A ^(C2)land of salt that is not inhabited.

-"^(C1)Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose ^(C2)trust is the LORD.

-"For he will be like a ^(C1)tree planted by the water That extends its roots by a stream, And does not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of ^(C2)drought, Nor cease to yield fruit.

"The ^(C1)heart is more ^(C2)deceitful than all else And is desperately ^(C3)sick; Who can understand it?

-"I, the LORD, ^(C1)search the heart, I test the ^(F1)mind, ^(C2)To give to each person according to his ways, According to the ^(F2)results of his deeds.

-"As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, So is a person who ^(C1)makes a fortune, but unjustly; In the middle of his days it will abandon him, And in ^(F1)the end he will be a ^(C2)fool."

^(C1)A glorious throne on high from the beginning Is the place of our sanctuary.

LORD, the ^(C1)hope of Israel, All who ^(C2)abandon You will be put to shame. Those who turn ^(F1)away on earth will be ^(C3)written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, that is the LORD.

^(C1)Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; ^(C2)Save me and I will be saved, For You are my ^(C3)praise.

Look, they keep ^(C1)saying to me, "Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!"

But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd following after You, Nor have I longed for the disastrous day; ^(C1)You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips Was in Your presence.

Do not be a ^(C1)terror to me; You are my ^(C2)refuge in a day of disaster.

Let those who persecute me be ^(C1)put to shame, but as for me, ^(C2)let me not be put to shame; Let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed. ^(C3)Bring on them a day of disaster, And crush them with double destruction!

This is what the LORD said to me: "Go and stand at the ^(F1)public gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem;

and say to them, '^(C1)Listen to the word of the LORD, you ^(C2)kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates.

'This is what the LORD says: "^(C1)Take care for yourselves, and ^(C2)do not carry any ^(F1)load on the Sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem.

"You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day ^(C1)nor do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I ^(C2)commanded your ^(F1)forefathers.

"Yet they ^(C1)did not listen or incline their ears, but ^(C2)stiffened their necks so as not to listen or accept discipline.

"But it will come about, if you ^(C1)give your attention to Me," declares the LORD, "to ^(C2)bring no load in through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, ^(C3)but to keep the Sabbath day holy by doing no work on it,

^(C1)then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and officials ^(C2)sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this ^(C3)city will be inhabited forever.

"They will come in from the ^(C1)cities of Judah and from the areas surrounding Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the ^(C2)lowland, from the hill country, and from the ^(C3)Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the LORD.

"But ^(C1)if you do not listen to Me, to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then ^(C2)I will set fire to its gates, and it will ^(C3)devour the palaces of Jerusalem and ^(C4)not go out."'"