8. The grass dries up;the flower withers,but our God’s word will exist forever.
9. Go up on a high mountain,messenger Zion!Raise your voice and shout,messenger Jerusalem!Raise it; don’t be afraid;say to the cities of Judah,"Here is your God!"
10. Here is the Lord God,coming with strength,with a triumphant arm,bringing his reward with himand his payment before him.
11. Like a shepherd, God will tend the flock;he will gather lambs in his armsand lift them onto his lap.He will gently guide the nursing ewes.
12. Who has measured the waters in the palm of a handor gauged the heavens with a ruleror scooped the earth’s dust up in a measuring cupor weighed the mountains on a scaleand the hills in a balance?
13. Who directed the Lord’s spiritand acted as God’s advisor?
14. Whom did he consult for enlightenment?Who taught him the path of justice and knowledgeand explained to him the way of understanding?
15. Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket,and valued as dust on a scale.Look, God weighs the islands like fine dust.
16. Lebanon doesn’t have enough fuel;its animals aren’t enough for an entirely burned offering.
17. All the nations are like nothing before God.They are viewed as less than nothing and emptiness.