Daily Bread

57 The righteous perish,^(K)
    and no one takes it to heart;^(L)
the devout are taken away,
    and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
    to be spared from evil.^(M)
2 Those who walk uprightly^(N)
    enter into peace;
    they find rest^(O) as they lie in death.

³ “But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,^(P)
    you offspring of adulterers^(Q) and prostitutes!^(R)
4 Who are you mocking?
    At whom do you sneer
    and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,^(S)
    the offspring of liars?
⁵ You burn with lust among the oaks^(T)
    and under every spreading tree;^(U)
you sacrifice your children^(V) in the ravines
    and under the overhanging crags.
⁶ The idols^(W) among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
    indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings^(X)
    and offered grain offerings.
    In view of all this, should I relent?^(Y)
7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;^(Z)
    there you went up to offer your sacrifices.^(AA)
8 Behind your doors and your doorposts
    you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
    you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,^(AB)
    and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.^(AC)
9 You went to Molek^[a](AD) with olive oil
    and increased your perfumes.^(AE)
You sent your ambassadors^[b](AF) far away;
    you descended to the very realm of the dead!^(AG)
10 You wearied^(AH) yourself by such going about,
    but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’^(AI)
You found renewal of your strength,^(AJ)
    and so you did not faint.

¹¹ “Whom have you so dreaded and feared^(AK)
    that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered^(AL) me
    nor taken this to heart?^(AM)
Is it not because I have long been silent^(AN)
    that you do not fear me?
¹² I will expose your righteousness and your works,^(AO)
    and they will not benefit you.
¹³ When you cry out^(AP) for help,
    let your collection of idols save^(AQ) you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
    a mere breath will blow^(AR) them away.
But whoever takes refuge^(AS) in me
    will inherit the land^(AT)
    and possess my holy mountain.”^(AU)

“Build up, build up, prepare the road!^(AV)
    Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”^(AW)
15 For this is what the high and exalted^(AX) One says—
    he who lives forever,^(AY) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high^(AZ) and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite^(BA) and lowly in spirit,^(BB)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.^(BC)
16 I will not accuse^(BD) them forever,
    nor will I always be angry,^(BE)
for then they would faint away because of me—
    the very people^(BF) I have created.
¹⁷ I was enraged by their sinful greed;^(BG)
    I punished them, and hid^(BH) my face in anger,
    yet they kept on in their willful ways.^(BI)
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal^(BJ) them;
    I will guide^(BK) them and restore comfort^(BL) to Israel’s mourners,
¹⁹     creating praise on their lips.^(BM)
Peace, peace,^(BN) to those far and near,”^(BO)
    says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
²⁰ But the wicked^(BP) are like the tossing sea,^(BQ)
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves cast up mire^(BR) and mud.
²¹ “There is no peace,”^(BS) says my God, “for the wicked.”^(BT)