12/29/2025
Dear Jehovah God,
כוַיְהִ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיְהִ֖י רֹבֶ֥ה קַשָּֽׁת:
And God was with the lad, and he grew, and he dwelt in the desert, and he became an archer.
Isaiah 25:2 – the palace
For You make a city into a heap, a fortified city into a ruin; a palace of strangers is a city no more, it is never be rebuilt.
Isaiah 17:1; 26:5; 27:10; 32:19 – heap
The oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and become a fallen ruin.
For You bring low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city; You lay it low, You lay it low to the ground, You cast it to the dust.
For the fortified city is isolated, a homestead forlorn and forsaken like the desert; there the calf grazes, and there it lies down and feeds on its branches.
And it hails when the forest comes down, and the city is utterly laid low.
Isaiah 17:3; 25:12 – fortified city
The fortified city disappears from Ephraim, and sovereignty from Damascus and the remnant of Aram; they are like the glory of the sons of Israel, Jehovah of hosts.
The unassailable fortifications of our walls You bring down, lay low and cast to the ground, even to the dust.
Isaiah 13:22; 32:14; 34:13 – palace of strangers
Hyenas howl in their fortified towers and jackals in their luxurious palaces. Her fateful time also soon comes and her days are not prolonged.
Because the palace is abandoned, the populated city forsaken. Hill and watch-tower become caves forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks.
Thorns come up in its fortified towers, nettles and thistles in its fortified cities; it also is a haunt of jackals and an abode of ostriches.
Intention of this prayer: heap, fortified city, and palace of strangers.
For You make a city into a heap, a fortified city into a ruin; a palace of strangers is a city no more, it never rebuilds. The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city and become a fallen ruin. For You bring low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city; You lay it low, You lay it low to the ground, You cast it to the dust. For the fortified city is isolated, a pasture forlorn and forsaken like the desert; there the calf grazes, and there it lies down and consumes on its branches. And it hails when the forest comes down, and the city utterly laid low.
The fortification disappears from Ephraim, and royal power, kingdom from Damascus and the remnant of Aram; they are like the glory of the sons of Israel, both human and angels, Jehovah of hosts. The unassailable fortifications of YFA’ walls You bring down, lay low, cast to the ground, even to the dust.
Isaiah 13:22; 32:14; 34:13 –
Howling creatures howl in their fortified towers and jackals in their luxurious palaces. Her time also is near to come and her days are not prolonged. Because the palace abandoned, the multitude of the city forsaken. Ophel and watch-tower become caves forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks. Thorns come up in its fortified towers, nettles and thistles in its fortified cities; it also is a haunt of jackals, an abode of ostriches.
You are Omnipotent. The ostriches’ wings flap joyously with the pinion and plumage of love, for she abandons her eggs to the earth and warms them in the dust, and she forgets that a foot may crush them, and that a wild beast may trample them. She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers; though her labor be in vain, she is unconcerned; because God has made her forget wisdom, and has not given her a share of understanding. When she lifts herself on high, she laughs at the horse and his rider. I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. By the WORD of Your Jehovah the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear You Jehovah; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of You. You, Jehovah God, possess all power.
You are Wise. Do we not know? Have we not hear? The Everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. Your understanding is inscrutable. Let the name of You God Jehovah be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to You. Your actions are based on Your character. Your wisdom causes You to choose righteous ends and make the most fitting plans to achieve those ends.
You are Jehovah God, Jehovah the One and Only!
שמע ישראל יהוה אלהנו יהוה אחד:
אמו. Amen, Amen, & Amen.