The Valley of Dry Bones
1 sThe hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out tin the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley;1 it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath2 to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling,3 and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and uthe breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and vraise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And wI will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that xI am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”
My Soul Thirsts for You
A Psalm of David.
1 yHear my prayer, O Lord;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 zEnter not into judgment with your servant,
for ano one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
bhe has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore cmy spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5 I remember the ddays of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
emy soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7 Answer me fquickly, O Lord!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear gin the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
hMake me know the way I should go,
for ito you I lift up my soul.
9 jDeliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
I have fled to you for refuge.1
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let kyour good Spirit llead me
on level ground!
11 mFor your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
nIn your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will ocut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.
