Neh 1:2-4, 2:2-3, Psa 84:1-2, 10, 102:13-14, 122:5-9, Isa 62:1, 6-7 | ESV | STEP | that Hanani , one of my brothers , came with certain men from Judah . And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped , who had survived the exile , and concerning Jerusalem .

Nehemiah 1:2-4

2 that ^aHanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and ^bshame. ^cThe wall of Jerusalem is broken down, ^dand its gates are destroyed by fire.”

Nehemiah’s Prayer

4 As soon as I heard these words I ^esat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the ^fGod of heaven.

Nehemiah 2:2-3

2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but ^gsadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, ^h“Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, ⁱwhen the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

Psalms 84:1-2

My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord

To the choirmaster: according to ^jThe Gittith. ^{▼▼Probably a musical or liturgical term} A Psalm of ^lthe Sons of Korah.

1 How ^mlovely is your ⁿdwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul ^olongs, yes, ^pfaints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to ^qthe living God.

Psalms 84:10

10 For a day ^rin your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be ^sa doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Psalms 102:13-14

13 You will ^tarise and have ^upity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
^vthe appointed time has come.
14 For your servants hold her ^wstones dear
and have pity on her dust.

Psalms 122:5-9

5 There ^xthrones for judgment were set,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 ^yPray for the peace of Jerusalem!
“May they be secure who love you!
7 Peace be within your ^zwalls
and security within your ^aatowers!”
8 For my brothers and companions’ sake
I will say, ^ab“Peace be within you!”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will ^acseek your good.

Isaiah 62:1

Zion’s Coming Salvation

1 ^adFor Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
^aeuntil her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.

Isaiah 62:6-7

6 On your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have set ^afwatchmen;
all the day and all the night
they shall never be silent.
You who put the Lord in remembrance,
take no rest,
7 and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it ^aga praise in the earth.