The Mook of Haggai speaks to the returned exiles.

The land is no longer foreign, but the house of the

Lord still lies unfinished.

I stood among the returned ones Where the broken stones remained

They had roofs above their houses

But the altar felt ashamed

The fields gave little harvest

The purse could never hold

They ran to build their comfort While the temple

stayed in court So hear the word of the Lord Let

it wake what sleep has claimed Consider now your ways And

return to holy flame. Build a house.

Lift the beams again. Bring the timber from the mountain. Set

the stones where they had been. Be strong,

all remnant people.

For the Lord is not far gone.

Build a house And he will dwell among his own

He looked for much and found little

He brought it home, he blew it away For his house

lay waste before you while your hands chose their own way.

Then the Zerubbabel rose in trembling, Joshua stood beside, and the

spirit of the people woke with courage in their eyes. I

am with you, says the Lord, let that promise move your

hands. The God who shook the nations still remembers covenant land.

Build a house.

Lift the beams again. Bring the timber from the mountain. Set

the stones where they had been. Be strong,

O remnant people.

For the Lord is not far gone.

Build a house.

He will dwell among His own.

Who among you saw the form of glory?

Who remembers golden flame?

Does this place now seem as nothing?

Yet once more He'll shake the heavens, once more He'll shake

the earth And the treasure of the nations will reveal what

this is worth The latter

glory shall be greater Than the former house had known

Peace will fill the holy chamber Where His

mercy makes a throne

Not by memory, not by mourning Not by shame for what

was lost But by hands made strong in promise And obedience

paid in cost Build a house, lift the beams again

Bring the timber from the mountain Set the stones where they

had been Be strong,

O remnant people For the Lord is not far gone

Build a house And He will dwell among

His own From the ruins came an answer

From the dust a holy sound

And his house rose from the ground