To You, O LORD,I cry;For firehas devouredthe pasturesof the wildernessAnd the flamehas burnedup allthe treesof the field.
Callupon Me in the dayof trouble;I shall rescueyou, and you will honorMe."
"He will callupon Me, and I will answerhim; I will be with him in trouble;I will rescuehim and honorhim.
"Becausethe groundis cracked,For there has beennorainon the land;The farmershave beenputto shame,They have coveredtheir heads.
"Becauseof the lightnessof her harlotry,she pollutedthe landand committedadulterywith stonesand trees.
"For the mountainsI will takeup a weepingand wailing,And for the pasturesof the wildernessa dirge,Becausethey are laidwastesothat noonepassesthrough,And the lowingof the cattleis not heard;Boththe birdsof the skyand the beastshave fled;they are gone.
"Shall I not punishthem for thesethings?"declaresthe LORD."On a nationsuchas thisShall I not avengeMyself?
A fireconsumesbeforethem And behindthem a flameburns.The landis like the gardenof Edenbeforethem But a desolatewildernessbehindthem, And nothingat allescapesthem.
He said,"The LORDroarsfrom ZionAnd from JerusalemHe uttersHis voice;And the shepherds'pasturegroundsmourn,And the summitof Carmeldriesup."
Thusthe LordGODshowedme, and behold,the LordGODwas callingto contend[with them] by fire,and it consumedthe greatdeepand began to consumethe farmland.
But as for me, I will watchexpectantlyfor the LORD;I will waitfor the Godof my salvation.My Godwill hearme.
NowHe was tellingthem a parableto show that at all timesthey oughtto prayand not to lose heart,
now,will not Godbring aboutjusticefor His electwho cryto Him dayand night,and will He delay longoverthem?
