53. He guided them safely. They had nothing to fear. He drowned their enemies in the sea.
54. He led his people to his holy land, to the mountain he took with his own power.
55. He forced the other nations out before them and gave each family its share of the land. He gave each tribe of Israel a place to live.
56. But they tested God Most High and made him very sad. They didn’t obey his commands.
57. They turned against him and were unfaithful just like their ancestors. They changed directions like a boomerang.
58. They built high places and made God angry. They built statues of false gods and made him jealous.
59. God heard what they were doing and became very angry. So he rejected Israel completely!
60. He abandoned his place at Shiloh, the Holy Tent where he lived among the people.
61. He let foreigners capture the Box of the Agreement, the symbol of his power and glory.
62. He showed his anger against his people and let them be killed in war.
63. Their young men were burned to death, and there were no wedding songs for their young women.
64. Their priests were killed, but the widows had no time to mourn for them.
65. Finally, our Lord got up like a man waking from his sleep, like a soldier after drinking too much wine.
66. He forced his enemies to turn back defeated. He brought them shame that will last forever.
67. Then he rejected Joseph’s family. He did not accept Ephraim’s family.
68. No, he chose the tribe of Judah, and he chose Mount Zion, the place he loves.
69. He built his holy Temple high on that mountain. Like the earth, God built his Temple to last forever.
70. He chose David to be his special servant. He took him from the sheep pens.
71. He took him away from the job of caring for sheep and gave him the job of caring for the descendants of Jacob—Israel, his chosen people.