From all their troubles, O God, save your people Israel!

When the LORD rebuilds Zion, he will reveal his greatness.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you prosper.

For the sake of my relatives and friends I say to Jerusalem, "Peace be with you!"

May I never be able to play the harp again if I forget you, Jerusalem!

May I never be able to sing again if I do not remember you, if I do not think of you as my greatest joy!

I will speak out to encourage Jerusalem; I will not be silent until she is saved, And her victory shines like a torch in the night.

On your walls, Jerusalem, I have placed sentries; They must never be silent day or night. They must remind the LORD of his promises And never let him forget them.

They must give him no rest until he restores Jerusalem And makes it a city the whole world praises.

The LORD says to his people in Babylonia: "You have escaped death! Now go! Don't wait! Though you are far from home, think about me, your LORD, and remember Jerusalem.

And not to mention other things, every day I am under the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

When someone is weak, then I feel weak too; when someone is led into sin, I am filled with distress.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.

God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children---this was his pleasure and purpose.

God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ.

because God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.

That is why we always pray for you. We ask our God to make you worthy of the life he has called you to live. May he fulfill by his power all your desire for goodness and complete your work of faith.

But now I said to them, "See what trouble we are in because Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates are destroyed! Let's rebuild the city walls and put an end to our disgrace."

Your people will rebuild what has long been in ruins, building again on the old foundations. You will be known as the people who rebuilt the walls, who restored the ruined houses."

Note this and understand it: From the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until God's chosen leader comes, seven times seven years will pass. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, and will stand for seven times sixty-two years, but this will be a time of troubles.

People of Jerusalem, the time to rebuild the city walls is coming. At that time your territory will be enlarged.

The LORD has promised that he himself will be a wall of fire around the city to protect it and that he will live there in all his glory."