Begin a song to my God with tambourines,
sing to my Lord with cymbals.
Raise to him a new psalm;
exalt him, and call upon his name.
16 3 For God is the Lord who crushes wars;
for he has delivered me out of the hands of my pursuers,
and brought me to his camp,
in the midst of the people.
16 4 The Assyrian came down from the mountains of the north;
he came with myriads of his warriors;
their multitude blocked up the valleys,
their cavalry covered the hills.
16 5 He boasted that he would burn up my territory,
and kill my young men with the sword,
and dash my infants to the ground and seize my children as prey,
and take my virgins as booty.
16 6 But the Lord Almighty has foiled them by the hand of a woman.
16 7 For their mighty one did not fall by the hands of the young men,
nor did the sons of the Titans smite him,
nor did tall giants set upon him;
but Judith the daughter of Merari undid him with the beauty of her countenance.
16 8 For she took off her widow's mourning to exalt the oppressed in Israel.
She anointed her face with ointment
and fastened her hair with a tiara
and put on a linen gown to deceive him.
16 9 Her sandal ravished his eyes,
her beauty captivated his mind,
and the sword severed his neck.
16 10 The Persians trembled at her boldness,
the Medes were daunted at her daring.
16 11 Then my oppressed people shouted for joy;
my weak people shouted and the enemy trembled;
they lifted up their voices,
and the enemy were turned back.
16 12 The sons of maidservants have pierced them through;
they were wounded like the children of fugitives,
they perished before the army of my Lord.
16 13 I will sing to my God a new song:
O Lord, you are great and glorious,
wonderful in strength, invincible.
16 14 Let all your creatures serve you,
for you spoke, and they were made.
You sent forth your Spirit, and it formed them;
there is none that can resist your voice.
16 15 For the mountains shall be shaken to their foundations with the waters;
at your presence the rocks shall melt like wax,
but to those who fear you you will continue to show mercy.
16 16 For every sacrifice as a fragrant offering is a small thing,
and all fat for burnt offerings to you is a very little thing,
put he who fears the Lord shall be great for ever.
16 17 Woe to the nations that rise up against my people!
The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgment;
fire and worms he will give to their flesh;
they shall weep in pain for ever.