For You have beena defensefor the helpless,A defensefor the needyin his distress,A refugefrom the storm,a shadefrom the heat;For the breathof the ruthlessIs like a [rain] storm[against] a wall.
"But I will leaveamongyou A humbleand lowlypeople,And they will takerefugein the nameof the LORD.
Eachwill be like a refugefrom the windAnd a shelterfrom the storm,Like streamsof waterin a drycountry,Like the shadeof a hugerockin a parchedland.
Listen,my belovedbrethren:did not Godchoosethe poorof thisworld[to be] richin faithand heirsof the kingdomwhichHe promisedto thosewho loveHim?
He will dwellon the heights,His refugewill be the impregnablerock;His breadwill be given[him], His waterwill be sure.
But He setsthe needysecurelyon highaway from affliction,And makes[his] familieslike a flock.
"Becauseof the devastationof the afflicted,becauseof the groaningof the needy,NowI will arise,"saysthe LORD;"I will sethim in the safetyfor which he longs."
"For My handmadeallthesethings,Thus allthesethingscameinto being,"declaresthe LORD."But to thisoneI will look,To him whois humbleand contriteof spirit,and whotremblesat My word.
Surely,thussaysthe LORD,"Eventhe captivesof the mightymanwill be takenaway, And the preyof the tyrantwill be rescued;For I will contendwith the onewhocontendswith you, And I will saveyour sons.
Then the angelof the LORDwentout and struck185000in the campof the Assyrians;and when men aroseearlyin the morning,behold,allof these were dead.
O LORD,be graciousto us; we have waitedfor You. Be their strengthevery morning,Our salvationalsoin the timeof distress.
The afflictedalso will increasetheir gladnessin the LORD,And the needyof mankindwill rejoicein the HolyOneof Israel.
But the multitudeof your enemieswill becomelike finedust,And the multitudeof the ruthlessoneslike the chaffwhich blowsaway;And it will happeninstantly,suddenly.
"Orlet him relyon My protection,Let him makepeacewith Me, Let him makepeacewith Me."
For you have forgottenthe Godof your salvationAnd have not rememberedthe rockof your refuge.Thereforeyou plantdelightfulplantsAnd setthem with vineslipsof a strange[god].
"Howthen will one answerthe messengersof the nation?That the LORDhas foundedZion,And the afflictedof His peoplewill seekrefugein it."
But with righteousnessHe will judgethe poor,And decidewith fairnessfor the afflictedof the earth;And He will strikethe earthwith the rodof His mouth,And with the breathof His lipsHe will slaythe wicked.
I clingto Your testimonies;O LORD,do not putme to shame!
He will havecompassionon the poorand needy,And the livesof the needyhe will save.
May he vindicatethe afflictedof the people,Savethe childrenof the needyAnd crushthe oppressor.
Allmy boneswill say,"LORD,whois likeYou, Who deliversthe afflictedfrom him whois toostrongfor him, And the afflictedand the needyfrom him who robshim?"
"I would hastento my placeof refugeFrom the stormywind[and] tempest."
He who dwellsin the shelterof the MostHighWill abidein the shadowof the Almighty.
The LORDis your keeper;The LORDis your shadeon your righthand.
"Then He shall becomea sanctuary;But to boththe housesof Israel,a stoneto strikeand a rockto stumbleover, [And] a snareand a trapfor the inhabitantsof Jerusalem.
"Give[us] advice,makea decision;Castyour shadowlike nightat highnoon;Hidethe outcasts,do not betraythe fugitive.
A spiritof justicefor him who sitsin judgment,A strengthto those who repelthe onslaughtat the gate.
For the ruthlesswill cometo an endand the scornerwill be finished,Indeed allwho are intenton doingevilwill be cutoff;
"When you cryout, let your collection[of idols] deliveryou. But the windwill carryallof them up, [And] a breathwill take[them away]. But he who takesrefugein Me will inheritthe landAnd will possessMy holymountain."
O LORD,my strengthand my stronghold,And my refugein the dayof distress,To You the nationswill comeFrom the endsof the earthand say,"Our fathershave inheritednothingbut falsehood,Futilityand thingsof noprofit."
"You will goup, you will comelike a storm;you will be like a cloudcoveringthe land,you and allyour troops,and manypeopleswith you."
And those who knowYour namewill puttheir trustin You, For You, O LORD,have not forsakenthose who seekYou.
