9. I sinned against the Lord.So he was angry with me.But he will defend my case in court.He will do what is right for me.Then he will bring me out into the light.I will see him set things right.
10. Then my enemies will see this,and they will be ashamed.My enemies said to me,‘Where is the Lord your God?’Now I will laugh at them.They will fall down defeated, like the mud people walk on.”
11. The time will come when your walls will be built again.At that time your country will grow.
12. Your people will come back to your land.They will come from Assyria and the cities of Egypt.They will come from the countriesbetween the river of Egypt and the Euphrates River.They will come from the countriesbetween the Mediterranean Sea in the west and the mountains in the east.
13. The rest of the earth will be ruined.This is because of what the people who lived in it did.
14. So shepherd your people with your stick.Tend the flock of people who belong to you.That flock now lives alone in the desert.But there is fertile pasture nearby.Let them feed in Bashan and Gileadas they did long ago.
15. The Lord says, “I did many miracles when I brought you out of Egypt.I will show you more miracles like that.”
16. The nations will see those miracles.Then they will no longer brag about their power.They will be amazed and put their hands over their mouths.They will refuse to listen.
17. They will crawl in the dust like a snake.They will shake with fear.They will crawl on the groundlike insects crawling from their holes.They will come trembling to you, Lord our God.They will tremble in fear before you.
18. There is no God like you.You forgive people who are guilty of sin.You don’t look at the sins of your peoplewho are left alive.You, Lord, will not stay angry forever.You enjoy being kind.
19. Lord, you will have mercy on us again.You will conquer our sins.You will throw away all our sinsinto the deepest sea.