Assyria can’t save us. We won’t trust in our war horses. Our own hands have made statues of gods. But we will never call them our gods again. We are like children whose fathers have died. But you show us your tender love.”
Here are the beliefs and way of life that God our Father accepts as pure and without fault. When widows are in trouble, take care of them. Do the same for children who have no parents. And don’t let the world make you impure.
God, you see the problems of people in trouble. You take note of their pain. You do something about it. So those who are attacked place themselves in your care. You help children whose fathers have died.Take away the power of sinful people. Hold them accountable for the evil things they do. Uncover all the evil they have done.The Lord is King for ever and ever. The nations will disappear from his land.Lord, you hear the desires of those who are hurting. You cheer them up and give them hope. You listen to their cries.You stand up for those whose fathers have died and for those who have been treated badly. You do it so that mere human beings made of dust may not terrify others anymore.
Don’t move old boundary stones. Don’t try to take over the fields of children whose fathers have died.That’s because the God who guards them is strong. He will stand up for them in court against you.
“ So I will come and put you on trial. I will be quick to bring charges against all of you,” says the Lord who rules over all.“ I will bring charges against you sinful people who do not have any respect for me. That includes those who practice evil magic. It includes those who commit adultery and those who tell lies in court. It includes those who cheat workers out of their pay. It includes those who treat widows badly. It also includes those who mistreat children whose fathers have died. And it includes those who take away the rights of outsiders in the courts.
The Lord watches over the outsiders who live in our land. He takes good care of children whose fathers have died. He also takes good care of widows. But he causes evil people to fail in everything they do.
And shouldn’t I show concern for the great city of Nineveh? It has more than 120,000 people. They can’t tell right from wrong. Nineveh also has a lot of animals.”