Study Desk

"How terrible it will be for the nation that becomes rich by doing wrong, thinking they will live in a safe place and escape harm.

"How terrible it will be for the nation that kills people to build a city, that wrongs others to start a town.

The Lord All-Powerful will send fire to destroy what those people have built; all the nations' work will be for nothing.

"How terrible for the nation that makes its neighbors drink, pouring from the jug of wine until they are drunk so that it can look at their naked bodies.

How terrible it will be for the one who says to a wooden statue, ‘Come to life!' How terrible it will be for the one who says to a silent stone, ‘Get up!' It cannot tell you what to do. It is only a statue covered with gold and silver; there is no life in it.

He stands and shakes the earth. He looks, and the nations shake with fear. The mountains, which stood for ages, break into pieces; the old hills fall down. God has always done this.

I hear these things, and my body trembles; my lips tremble when I hear the sound. My bones feel weak, and my legs shake. But I will wait patiently for the day of disaster that will come to the people who attack us.

The Lord God is my strength. He makes me like a deer that does not stumble so I can walk on the steep mountains. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

and those who turned away from the Lord , and those who quit following the Lord and praying to him for direction.

Be silent before the Lord God , because the Lord 's day for judging people is coming soon. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has made holy his invited guests.

How terrible it will be for you who live by the Mediterranean Sea, you Philistines! The word of the Lord is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines. "I will destroy you so that no one will be left."

The land by the Mediterranean Sea, in which you live, will become pastures, fields for shepherds, and pens for sheep.

This is what Moab and Ammon get for being proud, because they insulted and made fun of the people of the Lord All-Powerful.

How terrible for the wicked, stubborn city of Jerusalem, which hurts its own people.

People will come from where the Nile River begins; my scattered people will come with gifts for me.

Sing, Jerusalem. Israel, shout for joy! Jerusalem, be happy and rejoice with all your heart.

"I will take away the sadness planned for you, which would have made you very ashamed.

At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you back home. I will give you honor and praise from people everywhere when I make things go well again for you, as you will see with your own eyes," says the Lord .

"Is it right for you to be living in fancy houses while the Temple is still in ruins?"

"You look for much, but you find little. When you bring it home, I destroy it. Why?" asks the Lord All-Powerful. "Because you all work hard for your own houses while my house is still in ruins!