Obadiah 1; Psalms 82; Psalms 83

Obadiah 1

1 This is the vision about Edom that Obadiah had. Here is what he said. We've heard a message from the LORD and King. A messenger was sent to the nations. The LORD told him to say, "Get up! Let us go and make war against Edom."

2 The LORD says to Edom, "I will make you weak among the nations. They will look down on you.

3 You live in the safety of the rocks. You make your home high up in the mountains. But your proud heart has tricked you. So you say to yourself, 'No one can bring me down to the ground.'

4 You have built your home as high as an eagle does. You have made your nest among the stars. But I will bring you down from there," announces the Lord.

5 "Edom, suppose robbers came to you at night. They would steal only as much as they wanted. Suppose grape pickers came to harvest your vines. They would still leave a few grapes. But you are facing horrible trouble!

6 People of Esau, everything will be taken away from you. Your hidden treasures will be stolen.

7 All those who are helping you will force you to leave your country. Your friends will trick you and overpower you. Those who eat bread with you will set a trap for you. But you will not see it."

8 The LORD announces, "At that time I will destroy the wise men of Edom. I will wipe out the men of understanding in the mountains of Esau.

9 People of Teman, your soldiers will be terrified. Everyone in Esau's mountains will be cut down with swords.

10 You did harmful things to your brothers, the people of Jacob. So you will be covered with shame. You will be destroyed forever.

11 Strangers entered the gates of Jerusalem. They cast lots to see what each one would get. They carried off its wealth. When that happened, you just stood there and did nothing. You were like one of them.

12 That was a time of trouble for your brothers. So you should not have looked down on them. The people of Judah were destroyed. So you should not have been happy about it. You should not have laughed at them so much when they were in trouble.

13 You should not have marched through the gates of my people's city when they were having so much trouble. You should not have looked down on them. You should not have stolen their wealth.

14 You waited where the roads cross. You wanted to cut down those who were running away. You should not have done that. You handed over to their enemies those who were still left alive. You should not have done that. They were in trouble.

15 "The day of the LORD is near for all of the nations. Others will do to you what you have done to them. You will be paid back for what you have done.

16 You Edomites polluted my holy mountain of Zion by drinking and celebrating there. So all of the nations will drink from the cup of my anger. And they will keep on drinking from it. They will vanish. It will be as if they had never existed.

17 But on Mount Zion some of my people will be left alive. I will save them. Zion will be my holy mountain once again. And the people of Jacob will again receive the land as their own.

18 They will be like a fire. Joseph's people will be like a flame. The nation of Esau will be like straw. Jacob's people will set Edom on fire and burn it up. No one will be left alive among Esau's people." The LORD has spoken.

19 Israelites from the Negev Desert will take over Esau's mountains. Israelites from the western hills will possess Philistia. They'll take over the territories of Ephraim and Samaria. Israelites from the tribe of Benjamin will possess the land of Gilead.

20 Some Israelites were forced to leave their homes. They'll come back to Canaan and possess it all the way to the town of Zarephath. Some people from Jerusalem were taken to the city of Sepharad. They'll return and possess the towns of the Negev Desert.

21 Leaders from Mount Zion will go and rule over the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will belong to the Lord.

Psalms 82

1 God takes his place at the head of a large gathering of rulers and judges. He announces his decisions among them.

2 He says, "How long will you stand up for those who aren't fair to others? How long will you show favor to sinful people? "Selah"

3 Stand up for those who are weak and for those whose fathers have died. See to it that those who are poor and those who are beaten down are treated fairly.

4 Save the weak and those who are in need. Save them from the power of sinful people.

5 "You rulers and judges don't know anything. You don't understand anything. You are in the dark about what is right. Law and order have been destroyed all over the world.

6 "I said, 'Rulers and judges, you are "gods." You are all children of the Most High God.'

7 But you will die, just like everyone else. You will die like every other ruler."

8 God, rise up. Judge the earth. All of the nations belong to you.

Psalms 83

1 God, don't keep silent. God, don't keep quiet. Don't be still.

2 See how your enemies are getting ready for action. See how they are rising up against you.

3 They make clever plans against your people. They make evil plans against those you love.

4 "Come," they say. "Let's destroy that whole nation. Then the name of Israel won't be remembered anymore."

5 All of them agree on the evil plans they have made. They join forces against you.

6 Their forces include the people of Edom, Ishmael, Moab and Hagar.

7 They also include the people of Byblos, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia and Tyre.

8 Even Assyria has joined them to give strength to the people of Moab and Ammon. "Selah"

9 Do to them what you did to the people of Midian. Do to them what you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.

10 Sisera and Jabin died near the town of Endor. Their bodies were left to rot on the ground.

11 Do to the nobles of your enemies what you did to Oreb and Zeeb. Do to all of their princes what you did to Zebah and Zalmunna.

12 They said, "Let's take over the grasslands that belong to God."

13 My God, make them like straw that the wind blows away. Make them like tumbleweed.

14 Destroy them as fire burns up a forest. Destroy them as a flame sets mountains on fire.

15 Chase them with your mighty winds. Terrify them with your storm.

16 Lord, put them to shame so that people will worship you.

17 May they always be filled with terror and shame. May they die in dishonor.

18 Your name is the Lord. Let them know that you alone are the Most High God over the whole earth.