49. He sent His burning anger against them:fury, indignation, and calamity —a band of deadly messengers.
50. He cleared a path for His anger.He did not spare them from deathbut delivered their lives to the plague.
51. He struck all the firstborn in Egypt,the first progeny of the tents of Ham.
52. He led His people out like sheepand guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
53. He led them safely, and they were not afraid;but the sea covered their enemies.
54. He brought them to His holy land,to the mountain His right hand acquired.
55. He drove out nations before them. He apportioned their inheritance by lotand settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56. But they rebelliously tested the Most High God,for they did not keep His decrees.
57. They treacherously turned away like their fathers;they became warped like a faulty bow.
58. They enraged Him with their high placesand provoked His jealousy with their carved images.
59. God heard and became furious;He completely rejected Israel.
60. He abandoned the tabernacle at Shiloh,the tent where He resided among men.
61. He gave up His strength to captivityand His splendor to the hand of a foe.
62. He surrendered His people to the swordbecause He was enraged with His heritage.
63. Fire consumed His chosen young men,and His young women had no wedding songs.
64. His priests fell by the sword,but the widows could not lament.
65. Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep,like a warrior from the effects of wine.
66. He beat back His foes;He gave them lasting shame.
67. He rejected the tent of Josephand did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
68. He chose instead the tribe of Judah,Mount Zion, which He loved.