26:1  In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security.

26:2  "Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful.

26:3  "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.

26:4  "Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, {we have} an everlasting Rock.

26:5  "For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust.

26:6  "The foot will trample it, The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the helpless."

26:7  The way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.

26:8  Indeed, {while following} the way of Your judgments, O LORD, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of {our} souls.

26:9  At night my soul longs for You, Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently; For when the earth experiences Your judgments The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

26:10  {Though} the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD.

26:11  O LORD, Your hand is lifted up {yet} they do not see it. They see {Your} zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies.

26:12  LORD, You will establish peace for us, Since You have also performed for us all our works.

26:13  O LORD our God, other masters besides You have ruled us; {But} through You alone we confess Your name.

26:14  The dead will not live, the departed spirits will not rise; Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And You have wiped out all remembrance of them.

26:15  You have increased the nation, O LORD, You have increased the nation, You are glorified; You have extended all the borders of the land.

26:16  O LORD, they sought You in distress; They could only whisper a prayer, Your chastening was upon them.

26:17  As the pregnant woman approaches {the time} to give birth, She writhes {and} cries out in her labor pains, Thus were we before You, O LORD.

26:18  We were pregnant, we writhed {in labor,} We gave birth, as it seems, {only} to wind. We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth, Nor were inhabitants of the world born.

26:19  Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew {is as} the dew of the dawn, And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.

26:20  Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little while Until indignation runs {its} course.

26:21  For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain.