And, "YOU, LORD,IN THE BEGINNINGLAID THE FOUNDATIONOF THE EARTH,AND THE HEAVENSARE THE WORKSOF YOUR HANDS;
In the beginningGodcreatedthe heavensand the earth.
AhLordGOD!Behold,You have madethe heavensand the earthby Your greatpowerand by Your outstretchedarm!Nothingis toodifficultfor You,
"SurelyMy handfoundedthe earth,And My righthandspreadout the heavens;When I callto them, they standtogether.
ThussaysGodthe LORD,Who createdthe heavensand stretchedthem out, Who spreadout the earthand its offspring,Who givesbreathto the peopleon it And spiritto those who walkin it,
The burdenof the wordof the LORDconcerningIsrael.[Thus] declaresthe LORDwho stretchesout the heavens,laysthe foundationof the earth,and formsthe spiritof manwithinhim,
But now,O LORD,You are our Father,We are the clay,and You our potter;And allof us are the workof Your hand.
That you have forgottenthe LORDyour Maker,Who stretchedout the heavensAnd laidthe foundationsof the earth,That you fearcontinuallyalldaylong becauseof the furyof the oppressor,As he makesreadyto destroy?But whereis the furyof the oppressor?
When He setfor the seaits boundarySo that the waterwould not transgressHis command,When He markedout the foundationsof the earth;
"To the angelof the churchin Laodiceawrite:The Amen,the faithfuland true Witness,the Beginningof the creationof God,saysthis:
The heavensare tellingof the gloryof God;And their expanseis declaringthe workof His hands.
"And [beware] not to liftup your eyesto heavenand seethe sunand the moonand the stars,allthe hostof heaven,and be drawnawayand worshipthem and servethem, those whichthe LORDyour Godhas allottedto allthe peoplesunderthe wholeheaven.
Whohas measuredthe watersin the hollowof His hand,And markedoffthe heavensby the span,And calculatedthe dustof the earthby the measure,And weighedthe mountainsin a balanceAnd the hillsin a pair of scales?
"Liftup your eyesto the sky,Then lookto the earthbeneath;For the skywill vanishlike smoke,And the earthwill wearout like a garmentAnd its inhabitantswill diein likemanner;But My salvationwill be forever,And My righteousnesswill not wane.
This[expression], "Yetonce more,"denotesthe removingof thosethings which can be shaken,as of created things,sothat thosethings which cannotbe shakenmay remain.
