1 A Reign of Righteousness Behold, Ps. 45:1 a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.
2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And Is. 4:6 a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
3 Is. 29:18; 35:5 The eyes of those who see will not be dim, And the ears of those who hear will listen.
4 Also the heart of the rash will Is. 29:24 understand knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.
5 The foolish person will no longer be called generous, Nor the miser said to be bountiful;
6 For the foolish person will speak foolishness, And his heart will work Prov. 24:7–9 iniquity: To practice ungodliness, To utter error against the Lord , To keep the hungry unsatisfied, And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with Jer. 5:26–28; Mic. 7:3 lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice.
8 But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand.
9 Consequences of Complacency Rise up, you women Is. 47:8; Amos 6:1; Zeph. 2:15 who are at ease, Hear my voice; You complacent daughters, Give ear to my speech.
10 In a year and some days You will be troubled, you complacent women; For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come.
11 Tremble, you women who are at ease; Be troubled, you complacent ones; Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, And gird sackcloth on your waists.
12 People shall mourn upon their breasts For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
13 Is. 7:23–25; Hos. 9:6 On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, Yes, on all the happy homes in Is. 22:2 the joyous city;
14 Is. 27:10 Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—
15 Until (Is. 11:2); Ezek. 39:29; (Joel 2:28) the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And Ps. 107:35; Is. 29:17 the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.
16 The Peace of God’s Reign Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 Ps. 119:165; Is. 2:4; Rom. 14:17; James 3:18 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet Is. 11:10; 14:3; 30:15; (Hos. 2:18–23; Zech. 2:5; 3:10) resting places,
19 Is. 30:30 Though hail comes down Zech. 11:2 on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation.
20 Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of (Eccl. 11:1); Is. 30:23, 24 the ox and the donkey.