Song of Judith
1 Judith said: Begin to praise my God with drums; sing to the Lord with cymbals. Adapt a psalm for him; lift up your praise, and call upon his name.
2
The Lord is a God who crushes wars. He rescued me from the hand of my oppressors, and brought me into his camp in the midst of his people.
3
The Assyrian came from the mountains in the north; he came with tens of thousands of his warriors; their crowd of people blocked the ravines, and their cavalry covered the hills.
4
He bragged that he would burn my territory, kill my young men with the sword, throw my infants to the ground, take my children as slaves, and rape my virgins.
5
But the Lord Almighty overthrew them by the hand of a woman.
6
Their leader didn't fall to his knees because of young men, nor did the sons of the Titans strike him down, nor did the tall giants assault him. But Judith, Merari's daughter, paralyzed him with her beauty.
7
She took off her widow's clothing to lift up the oppressed in Israel. She put perfume on her face,
8
tied a headband around her hair, and put on a linen gown to trick him.
9
Her sandal captured his eyes; her beauty captured his heart, and the sword sliced through his neck.
10
The Persians trembled at her daring, and the Medes were troubled by her boldness.
11
Then my humbled ones shouted loudly; my weak ones cried out, they lifted up their voices, and the enemies were overthrown.
12
Sons of mere girls stabbed them and wounded them like the children of deserters. They perished before my Lord's army.
13
I will sing to my God a new song. Lord, you are great and glorious, marvelous in strength never to be outdone.
14
May all of your creation serve you; you spoke, and they came into being. You sent forth your spirit and it shaped them; there is no one who can resist your voice.
15
The mountains will be shaken from their foundations with the waters; rocks will melt like wax before you. Yet you will show mercy to those who fear you.
16
The pleasant fragrance of all offerings is a small thing to you, and the fat of all entirely burned offerings means even less to you. But those who fear the Lord are great forever.
17
How terrible it will be for those nations who rise up against my people. The Lord Almighty will take vengeance upon them on the Judgment Day. He will send fire and worms into their flesh, and they will weep forever with the pain.