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¹⁵ For the day of the Lord is near against all the nations.
As you have done, it shall be done to you;
   your deeds shall return on your own head.
¹⁶ For as you have drunk on my holy mountain,
   all the nations around you shall drink;
they shall drink and gulp down,^*
   and shall be as though they had never been.

Israel’s Final Triumph

¹⁷ But on Mount Zion there shall be those that escape,
   and it shall be holy;
and the house of Jacob shall take possession of those who dispossessed them.
¹⁸ The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
   the house of Joseph a flame,
   and the house of Esau stubble;
they shall burn them and consume them,
   and there shall be no survivor of the house of Esau;

for the Lord has spoken.
¹⁹ Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,
   and those of the Shephelah the land of the Philistines;
they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria,
   and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
²⁰ The exiles of the Israelites who are in Halah^*
   shall possess^* Phoenicia as far as Zarephath;
and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
   shall possess the towns of the Negeb.
²¹ Those who have been saved^* shall go up to Mount Zion
   to rule Mount Esau;
   and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.

Psalm 142

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A Prayer.
¹ With my voice I cry to the Lord;
   with my voice I make supplication to the Lord.
² I pour out my complaint before him;
   I tell my trouble before him.
³ When my spirit is faint,
   you know my way.

In the path where I walk
   they have hidden a trap for me.
⁴ Look on my right hand and see—
   there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
   no one cares for me.

⁵ I cry to you, O Lord;
   I say, ‘You are my refuge,
   my portion in the land of the living.’
⁶ Give heed to my cry,
   for I am brought very low.

Save me from my persecutors,
   for they are too strong for me.
⁷ Bring me out of prison,
   so that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
   for you will deal bountifully with me.

The Purpose of the Parables

10 Then the disciples came and asked him, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ ¹¹He answered, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets^* of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹²For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ¹³The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.” ¹⁴With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
“You will indeed listen, but never understand,
   and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
¹⁵ For this people’s heart has grown dull,
   and their ears are hard of hearing,
     and they have shut their eyes;
     so that they might not look with their eyes,
   and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
   and I would heal them.”
¹⁶But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.