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19 Adonai, my strength, my stronghold,
        my refuge in the day of affliction,
    to You will the nations come
        from the ends of the earth and say:
    “Our fathers have inherited nothing
        but lies, futility and useless things.”
20 Will man make gods for himself?
    Yet they are not gods.
21 “So I will surely make them know—
    this time I make them know
        My hand and My might—
    they will know that My Name is Adonai.”

Hearts Engraved with Sin

17 Judah’s sin is written with an iron pen
        and with a point of a diamond,
    engraved on the tablet of their heart
        and on the horns of your altars.
So their children remember their altars
    and their Asherah poles by leafy trees on the high hills.
My mountain in the country,
    your wealth and all your treasures
    I will give away as plunder,
    along with your high places
        for sin within all your borders.
So you, on your own,
        let go of your heritage that I gave you.
    So I will make you serve your enemies
        in a land that you do not know.
    For you have kindled a fire in My nose
        that will burn forever.”

Planted by the Water Without Fear

Thus says Adonai:
    “Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
        and depends on flesh as his arm,
        and whose heart turns from Adonai.
For he will be like a bush in the desert.
    He cannot see goodness when it comes,
    but will dwell in parched places in the wilderness—
        a salt land where no one lives.
Blessed is the one who trusts in Adonai,
    whose confidence is in Adonai.
For he will be like a tree planted by the waters,
        spreading out its roots by a stream.
    It has no fear when heat comes,
        but its leaves will be green.
    It does not worry in a year of drought,
    nor depart from yielding fruit.

A Deceitful Heart is Incurable

“The heart is deceitful above all things,
    and incurable—who can know it?
10 I Adonai search the heart,
    I try the mind,
    to give every man according to his ways,
        according to the fruit of his deeds.
11 As a partridge that broods over young that she did not lay,
    so is one who gets wealth, unjustly.
    In the middle of his days it will abandon him,
    so at his end he will be a fool.[a]
12 Throne of glory on high from the beginning!
    Place of our sanctuary,
13 Adonai, You are the hope of Israel!
    All who forsake You will be ashamed.
    Those who depart from You
        will be written in the dirt,
    for they have forsaken Adonai,
        the fountain of living waters.
14 Heal me, Adonai, and I will be healed.
    Save me, and I will be saved.
    For You are my praise.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 17:11 cf. Luke 12:20.

19 Lord, my strength and my fortress,
    my refuge(A) in time of distress,
to you the nations will come(B)
    from the ends of the earth and say,
“Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods,(C)
    worthless idols(D) that did them no good.(E)
20 Do people make their own gods?
    Yes, but they are not gods!”(F)

21 “Therefore I will teach them—
    this time I will teach them
    my power and might.
Then they will know
    that my name(G) is the Lord.

17 “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool,(H)
    inscribed with a flint point,
on the tablets of their hearts(I)
    and on the horns(J) of their altars.
Even their children remember
    their altars and Asherah poles[a](K)
beside the spreading trees
    and on the high hills.(L)
My mountain in the land
    and your[b] wealth and all your treasures
I will give away as plunder,(M)
    together with your high places,(N)
    because of sin throughout your country.(O)
Through your own fault you will lose
    the inheritance(P) I gave you.
I will enslave you to your enemies(Q)
    in a land(R) you do not know,
for you have kindled my anger,
    and it will burn(S) forever.”

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,(T)
    who draws strength from mere flesh
    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.(U)
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
    they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places(V) of the desert,
    in a salt(W) land where no one lives.

“But blessed(X) is the one who trusts(Y) in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.(Z)
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought(AA)
    and never fails to bear fruit.”(AB)

The heart(AC) is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

10 “I the Lord search the heart(AD)
    and examine the mind,(AE)
to reward(AF) each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”(AG)

11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay
    are those who gain riches by unjust means.
When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,
    and in the end they will prove to be fools.(AH)

12 A glorious throne,(AI) exalted from the beginning,
    is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Lord, you are the hope(AJ) of Israel;
    all who forsake(AK) you will be put to shame.
Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust(AL)
    because they have forsaken the Lord,
    the spring of living water.(AM)

14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;(AN)
    save(AO) me and I will be saved,
    for you are the one I praise.(AP)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 17:2 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
  2. Jeremiah 17:3 Or hills / and the mountains of the land. / Your