29

My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch.

Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.

The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow"s heart to sing for joy.

Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.

When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle;

When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.

But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.

And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.

Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.

Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.

And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.

And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.