Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; let the earth hear my words. May my teaching fall like rain, my speech like dew, gentle showers on grass. I proclaim the name of Yahweh; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock—His work is perfect, all His ways are justice; faithful and without wrong, upright is He. They have corrupted themselves, a crooked generation. Do you repay Yahweh this way, foolish people? Is He not your Father, Creator, who made and established you? Remember the days of old; ask your elders, and they will tell you. When Elyon gave nations their inheritance, He set their borders by the number of the sons of God. Yahweh’s portion is His people, Yaʿaqov His inheritance. He found him in a desert, guarded him as the apple of His eye. Like an eagle over its young, He spread His wings and carried him. Yahweh alone guided him; no foreign god was with him. He fed him with honey from the rock, oil from flint, curds, milk, fat of lambs and rams, and the best wheat and wine. But Yeshurun grew fat and forsook God, provoking Him with strange gods and abominations. They sacrificed to demons, to new gods unknown to their fathers. They forgot the Rock who bore them. Yahweh saw and spurned them: “I will hide My face, for they are faithless children. They made Me jealous with what is no god, so I will make them jealous with a foolish nation. A fire is kindled by My anger, burning to the depths of Sheol, devouring earth and mountains. I will heap disasters, waste them with hunger, plague, pestilence, beasts, and the sword without, terror within.” “I would have wiped them out but for the enemy’s pride, lest they think, ‘Our hand prevailed, not Yahweh’s.’ They are without counsel; if wise, they would see their end. How could one chase a thousand unless Yahweh had given them up? Their vine is from Sodom, grapes of poison, clusters bitter, wine the venom of serpents. Vengeance is Mine; their day of calamity is near. Yahweh will vindicate His people when their strength is gone. He will say, ‘Where are your gods? Let them rise and help you! See now that I, I am He; there is no god beside Me. I kill and make alive; I wound and heal; none can deliver from My hand. I lift My hand to heaven and swear: If I sharpen My sword, I will repay My foes and make My arrows drunk with blood.’ Rejoice, O heavens, with Him; bow to Him, all gods. He avenges His children, repays His enemies, and cleanses His people’s land.
