n°23 / Isaiah 33 :

1Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled ; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee ! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled ; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.
2O LORD, be gracious unto us ; we have waited for thee : be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
3At the noise of the tumult the people fled ; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered.
4And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller : as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them.
5The LORD is exalted ; for he dwelleth on high : he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.
6And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation : the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
7Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without : the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
8The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth : he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
9The earth mourneth and languisheth : Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down : Sharon is like a wilderness ; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.
10Now will I rise, saith the LORD ; now will I be exalted ; now will I lift up myself.
11Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble : your breath, as fire, shall devour you.
12And the people shall be as the burnings of lime : as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
13Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done ; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
14The sinners in Zion are afraid ; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire ? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ?
15He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly ; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil ;
16He shall dwell on high : his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks : bread shall be given him ; his waters shall be sure.
17Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty : they shall behold the land that is very far off.
18Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe ? where is the receiver ? where is he that counted the towers ?
19Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive ; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
20Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities : thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down ; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
21But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams ; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
22For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king ; he will save us.
23Thy tacklings are loosed ; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail : then is the prey of a great spoil divided ; the lame take the prey.
24And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick : the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.