So the LORD let the commanders of the Assyrian army invade Judah. They captured Manasseh, stuck hooks in him, put him in chains, and took him to Babylon.

God accepted Manasseh's prayer and answered it by letting him go back to Jerusalem and rule again. This convinced Manasseh that the LORD was God.

Call to me when trouble comes; I will save you, and you will praise me."

When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them.

You punished your people, LORD, and in anguish they prayed to you.

"I will abandon my people until they have suffered enough for their sins and come looking for me. Perhaps in their suffering they will try to find me."

The people say, "Let's return to the LORD! He has hurt us, but he will be sure to heal us; he has wounded us, but he will bandage our wounds, won't he?

Let us try to know the LORD. He will come to us as surely as the day dawns, as surely as the spring rains fall upon the earth."

Are any among you in trouble? They should pray. Are any among you happy? They should sing praises.

I've lost all hope, so what if God kills me? I am going to state my case to him.

From the depths of my despair I call to you, LORD.

Hear my cry, O Lord; listen to my call for help!

They threw me alive into a pit and closed the opening with a stone.

"From the bottom of the pit, O LORD, I cried out to you,

Upon receiving this order, the jailer threw them into the inner cell and fastened their feet between heavy blocks of wood.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.