To those who were taken captive,
Build your house and plant your garden;
Be comfortable where you live,
Not letting your heart to harden.
Eat from what your garden grows,
Allow your sons to marry wives;
So that their fertility shows,
For large families in their lives.
Let your daughters marry husbands,
So they can have sons and daughters;
Children spreading throughout the lands,
Settling down by the still waters.
Grow in number not to decrease,
Work for the good of the city;
So that the people live in peace,
To the downtrodden show pity.
Please pray unto the Lord for them,
When they prosper you will flourish;
The downtrodden do not condemn,
Urging through the Word to nourish.
Do not let the prophets deceive,
Ignoring any of your dreams;
For through the Lord you will receive,
Salvation for those He redeems.
They will be prophesying lies,
To you in the name of the Lord;
Though He may act noble and wise,
All of them need to be ignored.
The Lord is coming unto you,
Promising you to bring you back;
Give Him your trust for He tells true,
Giving you strength where you may lack.
God knows the plans He has for you,
Plans for peace, not a disaster;
For a future hope to construe,
Not for any fake forecaster.
Then you will call upon the Lord,
And He will hear you as you pray;
For your calls will not be ignored,
As long as you trust and obey.
Copyright © 2017 Richard Newton Sherrer
