"Have you not heard?LongagoI didit, From ancienttimesI plannedit. NowI have broughtit to pass,That you should turnfortifiedcitiesinto ruinousheaps.
"As for you, you meantevilagainstme, [but] Godmeantit for goodin orderto bringaboutthispresentresult, to preservemanypeoplealive.
Arise,O LORD,confronthim, bringhim low;Delivermy soulfrom the wickedwith Your sword,
For the wrathof manshall praiseYou; With a remnantof wrathYou will girdYourself.
Is the axeto boastitself overthe one who chopswith it? Is the sawto exaltitself overthe one who wieldsit? [That would be] like a clubwieldingthose who liftit, [Or] like a rodlifting[him who] is not wood.
The oracleconcerning Damascus."Behold,Damascusis about to be removedfrom being a cityAnd will becomea fallenruin.
And you madea reservoirbetweenthe twowallsFor the watersof the oldpool.But you did not dependon Him who madeit, Nordid you takeinto considerationHim who plannedit longago.
Do you not know?Have you not heard?Has it not been declaredto you from the beginning?Have you not understoodfrom the foundationsof the earth?
Do you not know?Have you not heard?The EverlastingGod,the LORD,the Creatorof the endsof the earthDoes not becomewearyor tired.His understandingis inscrutable.
The One forminglightand creatingdarkness,Causingwell-beingand creatingcalamity;I am the LORDwho doesallthese.
Ifa trumpetis blownin a citywill not the peopletremble?Ifa calamityoccursin a cityhas not the LORDdoneit?
this[Man], deliveredover by the predeterminedplanand foreknowledgeof God,you nailed to a crossby the handsof godless menand put [Him] to death.
and, "A STONEOF STUMBLINGAND A ROCKOF OFFENSE";for they stumblebecause they are disobedientto the word,and to this[doom] they were alsoappointed.
For certainpersonshave crept in unnoticed,thosewho were longbeforehand markedout for thiscondemnation,ungodly personswho turnthe graceof our Godinto licentiousnessand denyour onlyMasterand Lord,JesusChrist.
