Study Desk

Hezekiah was pleased with the letters, and he showed the envoys his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil—and all his armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace and in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.

See, the Lord God comes with strength,and his power establishes his rule.His wages are with him,and his reward accompanies him.

He protects his flock like a shepherd;he gathers the lambs in his armsand carries them in the fold of his garment.He gently leads those that are nursing.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his handor marked off the heavens with the span of his hand?Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measureor weighed the mountains on a balanceand the hills on the scales?

Look up and see!Who created these?He brings out the stars by number;he calls all of them by name.Because of his great power and strength,not one of them is missing.

Do you not know?Have you not heard?The Lord is the everlasting God,the Creator of the whole earth.He never becomes faint or weary;there is no limit to his understanding.

Who has stirred up someone from the east?In righteousness he calls him to serve.The Lord hands nations over to him,and he subdues kings.He makes them like dust with his sword,like wind-driven stubble with his bow.

He pursues them, going on safely,hardly touching the path with his feet.

He will not cry out or shoutor make his voice heard in the streets.

He will not grow weak or be discourageduntil he has established justice on earth.The coasts and islands will wait for his instruction.”

Sing a new song to the Lord;sing his praise from the ends of the earth,you who go down to the sea with all that fills it,you coasts and islands with your inhabitants.

Let them give glory to the Lordand declare his praise in the coasts and islands.

The Lord advances like a warrior;he stirs up his zeal like a soldier.He shouts, he roars aloud,he prevails over his enemies.

Though seeing many things, you pay no attention.Though his ears are open, he does not listen.”

Because of his righteousness, the Lord was pleasedto magnify his instruction and make it glorious.

Who gave Jacob to the robber,and Israel to the plunderers?Was it not the Lord?Have we not sinned against him?They were not willing to walk in his ways,and they would not listen to his instruction.

So he poured out his furious angerand the power of war on Jacob.It surrounded him with fire, but he did not know it;it burned him, but he didn’t take it to heart.

This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’;another will use the name of Jacob;still another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’and take on the name of Israel.”

The ironworker labors over the coals,shapes the idol with hammers,and works it with his strong arm.Also he grows hungry and his strength fails;he doesn’t drink water and is faint.

He cuts down cedars for his use,or he takes a cypress or an oak.He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest.He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.