17 Between the porch and the altarlet the priests weep,let the ministers of the Lord weep and say:“Spare your people, Lord!do not let your heritage become a disgrace,a byword among the nations!Why should they say among the peoples,‘Where is their God?’”
18 Then the Lord grew jealous for his land and took pity on his people.
19 In response the Lord said to his people:I am sending yougrain, new wine, and oil,and you will be satisfied by them;Never again will I make youa disgrace among the nations.
20 The northerner I will remove far from you,driving them out into a dry and desolate land,Their vanguard to the eastern sea,their rearguard to the western sea,And their stench will rise,their stink will ascend,What great deeds the Lord has done!
21 Do not fear, O land!delight and rejoice,for the Lord has done great things!
22 Do not fear, you animals in the wild,for the wilderness pastures sprout green grass.The trees bear fruit,the fig tree and the vine produce their harvest.
23 Children of Zion, delightand rejoice in the Lord, your God!For he has faithfully given you the early rain,sending rain down on you,the early and the late rains as before.