Nahum 1-3; Psalms 132 - Prayer Tents

Nahum 1

1This message concerning Nineveh came as a vision to Nahum, who lived in Elkosh.H4853H5210H5612H2377H5151H512

The Lord’s Anger against Nineveh

2The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies!H410H7072H3068H5358H3068H5358H1167H2534H3068H5358H6862H5201H3413The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet.H3068H750H639H1419H3581H5352H5352H3068H1870H5492H8183H6051H80H72724At his command the oceans dry up, and the rivers disappear. The lush pastures of Bashan and Carmel fade, and the green forests of Lebanon wither.H1605H3220H2717H3001H5104H1316H535H3760H6525H3844H5355In his presence the mountains quake, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles, and its people are destroyed.H2022H7493H1389H4127H776H5375H6440H8398H34276Who can stand before his fierce anger? Who can survive his burning fury? His rage blazes forth like fire, and the mountains crumble to dust in his presence.H5975H6440H2195H6965H2740H639H2534H5413H784H6697H54227The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.H3068H2896H4581H3117H6869H3045H26208But he will sweep away his enemies in an overwhelming flood. He will pursue his foes into the darkness of night.H5674H7858H6213H3617H4725H2822H7291H3419Why are you scheming against the Lord? He will destroy you with one blow; he won’t need to strike twice!H2803H3068H6213H3617H6869H6965H647110His enemies, tangled like thornbushes and staggering like drunks, will be burned up like dry stubble in a field.H5440H5518H5433H5435H398H7179H4392H300211Who is this wicked counselor of yours who plots evil against the Lord?H3318H2803H7451H3068H1100H328912This is what the Lord says. “Though the Assyrians have many allies, they will be destroyed and disappear. O my people, I have punished you before, but I will not punish you again.H559H3068H8003H7227H1494H5674H6031H603113Now I will break the yoke of bondage from your neck and tear off the chains of Assyrian oppression.”H7665H4132H5423H4147H542314And this is what the Lord says concerning the Assyrians in Nineveh. “You will have no more children to carry on your name. I will destroy all the idols in the temples of your gods. I am preparing a grave for you because you are despicable!”H3068H6680H8034H2232H1004H430H3772H6459H4541H7760H6913H704315Look! A messenger is coming over the mountains with good news! He is bringing a message of peace. Celebrate your festivals, O people of Judah, and fulfill all your vows, for your wicked enemies will never invade your land again. They will be completely destroyed!H2022H7272H1319H8085H7965H3063H2287H2282H7999H5088H1100H3254H5674H3772

Nahum 2

The Fall of Nineveh

2Your enemy is coming to crush you, Nineveh. Man the ramparts! Watch the roads! Prepare your defenses! Call out your forces!H6327H5927H6440H5341H4694H6822H1870H4975H2388H553H3581H39662Even though the destroyer has destroyed Judah, the Lord will restore its honor. Israel’s vine has been stripped of branches, but he will restore its splendor.H3068H7725H1347H3290H1347H3478H1238H1238H7843H21563Shields flash red in the sunlight! See the scarlet uniforms of the valiant troops! Watch as their glittering chariots move into position, with a forest of spears waving above them.H4043H1368H119H2428H582H8529H7393H784H6393H3117H3559H1265H74774The chariots race recklessly along the streets and rush wildly through the squares. They flash like firelight and move as swiftly as lightning.H7393H1984H2351H8264H7339H4758H3940H7323H13005The king shouts to his officers; they stumble in their haste, rushing to the walls to set up their defenses.H2142H117H3782H1979H4116H2346H5526H35596The river gates have been torn open! The palace is about to collapse!H8179H5104H6605H1964H41277Nineveh’s exile has been decreed, and all the servant girls mourn its capture. They moan like doves and beat their breasts in sorrow.H5324H1540H5927H519H5090H6963H3123H8608H38248Nineveh is like a leaking water reservoir! The people are slipping away. “Stop, stop!” someone shouts, but no one even looks back.H5210H3117H1295H4325H5127H5975H5975H64379Loot the silver! Plunder the gold! There’s no end to Nineveh’s treasures—its vast, uncounted wealth.H962H3701H962H2091H7097H8498H3519H2532H362710Soon the city is plundered, empty, and ruined. Hearts melt and knees shake. The people stand aghast, their faces pale and trembling.H950H4003H1110H3820H4549H1290H6375H2479H4975H6440H6908H628911Where now is that great Nineveh, that den filled with young lions? It was a place where people—like lions and their cubs—walked freely and without fear.H4583H738H4829H3715H738H3833H1980H738H1482H272912The lion tore up meat for his cubs and strangled prey for his mate. He filled his den with prey, his caverns with his plunder.H738H2963H1767H1484H2614H3833H4390H2356H2964H4585H296613“I am your enemy!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Your chariots will soon go up in smoke. Your young men will be killed in battle. Never again will you plunder conquered nations. The voices of your proud messengers will be heard no more.”H5002H3068H6635H1197H7393H6227H2719H398H3715H3772H2964H776H6963H4397H8085

Nahum 3

The Lord’s Judgment against Nineveh

3What sorrow awaits Nineveh, the city of murder and lies! She is crammed with wealth and is never without victims.H1945H1818H5892H4392H3585H6563H2964H4185 2Hear the crack of whips, the rumble of wheels! Horses’ hooves pound, and chariots clatter wildly.H6963H7752H6963H7494H212H1725H5483H7540H4818 3See the flashing swords and glittering spears as the charioteers charge past! There are countless casualties, heaps of bodies—so many bodies that people stumble over them.H6571H5927H3851H2719H1300H2595H7230H2491H3514H6297H7097H1472H3782H3782H1472 4All this because Nineveh, the beautiful and faithless city, mistress of deadly charms, enticed the nations with her beauty. She taught them all her magic, enchanting people everywhere.H7230H2183H2896H2580H2181H1172H3785H4376H1471H2183H4940H3785 5“I am your enemy!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “And now I will lift your skirts and show all the earth your nakedness and shame.H5002H3068H6635H1540H7757H6440H7200H1471H4626H4467H7036 6I will cover you with filth and show the world how vile you really are.H7993H8251H5034H7760H7210 7All who see you will shrink back and say, ‘Nineveh lies in ruins. Where are the mourners?’ Does anyone regret your destruction?”H7200H5074H559H5210H7703H5110H370H1245H5162 8Are you any better than the city of Thebes, situated on the Nile River, surrounded by water? She was protected by the river on all sides, walled in by water.H3190H527H528H4996H3427H2975H4325H5439H2426H3220H2346H3220 9Ethiopia and the land of Egypt gave unlimited assistance. The nations of Put and Libya were among her allies.H3568H4714H6109H369H7097H6316H3864H5833 10Yet Thebes fell, and her people were led away as captives. Her babies were dashed to death against the stones of the streets. Soldiers threw dice to get Egyptian officers as servants. All their leaders were bound in chains.H1473H1980H7628H5768H7376H7218H2351H3032H1486H3513H1419H7576H2131 11And you, Nineveh, will also stagger like a drunkard. You will hide for fear of the attacking enemy.H7937H5956H1245H4581H341 12All your fortresses will fall. They will be devoured like the ripe figs that fall into the mouths of those who shake the trees.H4013H8384H1061H5128H5307H6310H398 13Your troops will be as weak and helpless as women. The gates of your land will be opened wide to the enemy and set on fire and burned.H5971H7130H802H8179H776H6605H6605H341H784H398H1280 14Get ready for the siege! Store up water! Strengthen the defenses! Go into the pits to trample clay, and pack it into molds, making bricks to repair the walls.H7579H4325H4692H2388H4013H935H2916H7429H2563H2388H4404 15But the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down. The enemy will consume you like locusts, devouring everything they see. There will be no escape, even if you multiply like swarming locusts.H784H398H2719H3772H398H3218H3513H3218H3513H697 16Your merchants have multiplied until they outnumber the stars. But like a swarm of locusts, they strip the land and fly away.H7235H7402H3556H8064H3218H6584H5774 17Your guards and officials are also like swarming locusts that crowd together in the hedges on a cold day. But like locusts that fly away when the sun comes up, all of them will fly away and disappear.H4502H697H2951H1462H2583H1448H7135H3117H8121H2224H5074H4725H3045H335 18Your shepherds are asleep, O Assyrian king; your princes lie dead in the dust. Your people are scattered across the mountains with no one to gather them together.H7462H5123H4428H804H117H7931H5971H6335H2022H6908 19There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear of your destruction will clap their hands for joy. Where can anyone be found who has not suffered from your continual cruelty?H3545H7667H4347H2470H8085H8088H8628H3709H7451H5674H8548

Psalms 132

132[A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.] Lord, remember David and all that he suffered.H7892H4609H3068H2142H1732H6031 2He made a solemn promise to the Lord. He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,H7650H3068H5087H46H3290 3“I will not go home; I will not let myself rest.H935H168H1004H5927H6210H3326 4I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumberH5414H8153H5869H8572H6079 5until I find a place to build a house for the Lord, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”H4672H4725H3068H4908H46H3290 6We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.H8085H672H4672H7704H3293 7Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord; let us worship at the footstool of his throne.H935H4908H7812H1916H7272 8Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.H6965H3068H4496H727H5797 9May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy.H3548H3847H6664H2623H7442 10For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed.H5650H1732H7725H6440H4899 11The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back. “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.H3068H7650H571H1732H7725H6529H990H7896H3678 12If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and the laws that I teach them, then your royal line will continue forever and ever.”H1121H8104H1285H5713H2090H2097H3925H1121H3427H3678H5703 13For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home.H3068H977H6726H183H4186 14“This is my resting place forever,” he said. “I will live here, for this is the home I desired.H4496H5703H3427H183 15I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food.H1288H1288H6718H7646H34H3899 16I will clothe its priests with godliness; its faithful servants will sing for joy.H3847H3548H3468H2623H7442H7444 17Here I will increase the power of David; my anointed one will be a light for my people.H6779H7161H1732H6779H6186H5216H4899 18I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a glorious king.”H341H3847H1322H5145H6692