He taught me to sing a new song, a song of praise to our God. Many who see this will take warning and will put their trust in the LORD.

But then they will become terrified, as they have never been before, for God will scatter the bones of the enemies of his people. God has rejected them, and so Israel will totally defeat them.

My heart aches with longing; I want to know your judgments at all times.

(Refugees escape from Babylonia and come to Jerusalem, and they tell how the LORD our God took revenge for what the Babylonians had done to his Temple.)

The LORD says, "My people shout, 'The LORD has shown that we are in the right. Let's go and tell the people in Jerusalem what the LORD our God has done.' "

At that very moment there was a violent earthquake; a tenth of the city was destroyed, and seven thousand people were killed. The rest of the people were terrified and praised the greatness of the God of heaven.

People will say, "The righteous are indeed rewarded; there is indeed a God who judges the world."

The righteous see this and are glad, but all the wicked are put to silence.

May those who are wise think about these things; may they consider the LORD's constant love.

At your feasts you have harps and tambourines and flutes---and wine. But you don't understand what the LORD is doing,

then you will know that there was good reason for everything I did." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

May those who are wise understand what is written here, and may they take it to heart. The LORD's ways are right, and righteous people live by following them, but sinners stumble and fall because they ignore them.