Study Desk

Surely the arm^(a) of the Lord is not too short^(b) to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.^(c)

But your iniquities have separated^(d) you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.^(e)

For your hands are stained with blood,^(f) your fingers with guilt.^(g) Your lips have spoken falsely,^(h) and your tongue mutters wicked things.

No one calls for justice;⁽ⁱ⁾ no one pleads a case with integrity. They rely^(j) on empty arguments, they utter lies;^(k) they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.^(l)

They hatch the eggs of vipers^(m) and spin a spider's web.⁽ⁿ⁾ Whoever eats their eggs will die, and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.

Their cobwebs are useless for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make.^(o) Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence^(p) are in their hands.

Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood.^(q) They pursue evil schemes;^(r) acts of violence mark their ways.^(s)

The way of peace they do not know;^(t) there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads;^(u) no one who walks along them will know peace.^(v)

So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness;^(w) for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.

Like the blind^(x) we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. At midday we stumble^(y) as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead.^(z)

We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves.^(aa) We look for justice, but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away.

For our offenses^(ab) are many in your sight, and our sins testify^(ac) against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities:^(ad)

rebellion^(ae) and treachery against the Lord , turning our backs^(af) on our God, inciting revolt and oppression,^(ag) uttering lies^(ah) our hearts have conceived.

So justice^(ai) is driven back, and righteousness^(aj) stands at a distance; truth^(ak) has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.

Truth^(al) is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.^(am)

He saw that there was no one,^(an) he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;^(ao) so his own arm achieved salvation^(ap) for him, and his own righteousness^(aq) sustained him.

He put on righteousness as his breastplate,^(ar) and the helmet^(as) of salvation on his head; he put on the garments^(at) of vengeance^(au) and wrapped himself in zeal^(av) as in a cloak.

According to what they have done, so will he repay^(aw) wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands^(ax) their due.

From the west,^(ay) people will fear the name of the Lord , and from the rising of the sun,^(az) they will revere his glory.^(ba) For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath^(bb) of the Lord drives along.^[a]

"The Redeemer^(bc) will come to Zion,^(bd) to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,"^(be) declares the Lord .

"As for me, this is my covenant^(bf) with them," says the Lord . "My Spirit,^(bg) who is on you, will not depart from you,^(bh) and my words that I have put in your mouth^(bi) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever," says the Lord .

"Arise,^(a) shine, for your light^(b) has come, and the glory^(c) of the Lord rises upon you.

See, darkness^(d) covers the earth and thick darkness^(e) is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.

Nations^(f) will come to your light,^(g) and kings^(h) to the brightness of your dawn.

"Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble⁽ⁱ⁾ and come to you; your sons come from afar,^(j) and your daughters^(k) are carried on the hip.^(l)

Then you will look and be radiant,^(m) your heart will throb and swell with joy;⁽ⁿ⁾ the wealth^(o) on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.

Herds of camels^(p) will cover your land, young camels of Midian^(q) and Ephah.^(r) And all from Sheba^(s) will come, bearing gold and incense^(t) and proclaiming the praise^(u) of the Lord .

All Kedar's^(v) flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings^(w) on my altar,^(x) and I will adorn my glorious temple.^(y)

"Who are these^(z) that fly along like clouds,^(aa) like doves to their nests?

Surely the islands^(ab) look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish,^[a](ac) bringing^(ad) your children from afar, with their silver and gold,^(ae) to the honor^(af) of the Lord your God, the Holy One^(ag) of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.^(ah)

"Foreigners^(ai) will rebuild your walls, and their kings^(aj) will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor^(ak) I will show you compassion.^(al)

Your gates^(am) will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations^(an)— their kings^(ao) led in triumphal procession.

For the nation or kingdom that will not serve^(ap) you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.^(aq)

"The glory of Lebanon^(ar) will come to you, the juniper, the fir and the cypress together,^(as) to adorn my sanctuary;^(at) and I will glorify the place for my feet.^(au)

The children of your oppressors^(av) will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down^(aw) at your feet and will call you the City^(ax) of the Lord , Zion^(ay) of the Holy One^(az) of Israel.

"Although you have been forsaken^(ba) and hated, with no one traveling^(bb) through, I will make you the everlasting pride^(bc) and the joy^(bd) of all generations.

You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed^(be) at royal breasts. Then you will know^(bf) that I, the Lord , am your Savior,^(bg) your Redeemer,^(bh) the Mighty One of Jacob.^(bi)

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold,^(bj) and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace^(bk) your governor and well-being your ruler.^(bl)

No longer will violence^(bm) be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction^(bn) within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation^(bo) and your gates Praise.^(bp)

The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light,^(bq) and your God will be your glory.^(br)

Your sun^(bs) will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow^(bt) will end.

Then all your people will be righteous^(bu) and they will possess^(bv) the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted,^(bw) the work of my hands,^(bx) for the display of my splendor.^(by)

The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation.^(bz) I am the Lord ; in its time I will do this swiftly."^(ca)

The Spirit^(a) of the Sovereign Lord ^(b) is on me, because the Lord has anointed^(c) me to proclaim good news^(d) to the poor.^(e) He has sent me to bind up^(f) the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom^(g) for the captives^(h) and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]

to proclaim the year of the Lord 's favor⁽ⁱ⁾ and the day of vengeance^(j) of our God, to comfort^(k) all who mourn,^(l)

and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown^(m) of beauty instead of ashes,⁽ⁿ⁾ the oil^(o) of joy instead of mourning,^(p) and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting^(q) of the Lord for the display of his splendor.^(r)

They will rebuild the ancient ruins^(s) and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

Strangers^(t) will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

And you will be called priests^(u) of the Lord , you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth^(v) of nations, and in their riches you will boast.

Instead of your shame^(w) you will receive a double^(x) portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit^(y) a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy^(z) will be yours.

"For I, the Lord , love justice;^(aa) I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant^(ab) with them.

Their descendants^(ac) will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed."^(ad)

I delight greatly in the Lord ; my soul rejoices^(ae) in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,^(af) as a bridegroom adorns his head^(ag) like a priest, and as a bride^(ah) adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden^(ai) causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness^(aj) and praise spring up before all nations.

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,^(a) for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication^(b) shines out like the dawn,^(c) her salvation^(d) like a blazing torch.

The nations^(e) will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name^(f) that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.

You will be a crown^(g) of splendor in the Lord 's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

No longer will they call you Deserted,^(h) or name your land Desolate.⁽ⁱ⁾ But you will be called Hephzibah,^[a](j) and your land Beulah^[b]; for the Lord will take delight^(k) in you, and your land will be married.^(l)

As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom^(m) rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice⁽ⁿ⁾ over you.

I have posted watchmen^(o) on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord , give yourselves no rest,^(p)

and give him no rest^(q) till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise^(r) of the earth.

The Lord has sworn^(s) by his right hand and by his mighty arm: "Never again will I give your grain^(t) as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled;

but those who harvest it will eat^(u) it and praise the Lord ,^(v) and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary."^(w)

Pass through, pass through the gates!^(x) Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway!^(y) Remove the stones. Raise a banner^(z) for the nations.

The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth:^(aa) "Say to Daughter Zion,^(ab) ‘See, your Savior comes!^(ac) See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.'"^(ad)

They will be called^(ae) the Holy People,^(af) the Redeemed^(ag) of the Lord ; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.^(ah)

Who is this coming from Edom,^(a) from Bozrah,^(b) with his garments stained crimson?^(c) Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength?^(d) "It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save."^(e)

Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?^(f)

"I have trodden the winepress^(g) alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled^(h) them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath;⁽ⁱ⁾ their blood spattered my garments,^(j) and I stained all my clothing.

It was for me the day of vengeance;^(k) the year for me to redeem had come.

I looked, but there was no one^(l) to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm^(m) achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me.⁽ⁿ⁾

I trampled^(o) the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk^(p) and poured their blood^(q) on the ground."

I will tell of the kindnesses^(r) of the Lord , the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us— yes, the many good things^(s) he has done for Israel, according to his compassion^(t) and many kindnesses.

He said, "Surely they are my people,^(u) children who will be true to me"; and so he became their Savior.^(v)

In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel^(w) of his presence^(x) saved them.^[a] In his love and mercy he redeemed^(y) them; he lifted them up and carried^(z) them all the days of old.^(aa)

Yet they rebelled^(ab) and grieved his Holy Spirit.^(ac) So he turned and became their enemy^(ad) and he himself fought^(ae) against them.

Then his people recalled^[b] the days of old, the days of Moses and his people— where is he who brought them through the sea,^(af) with the shepherd of his flock?^(ag) Where is he who set his Holy Spirit^(ah) among them,

who sent his glorious arm^(ai) of power to be at Moses' right hand, who divided the waters^(aj) before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown,^(ak)

who led^(al) them through the depths?^(am) Like a horse in open country, they did not stumble;^(an)

like cattle that go down to the plain, they were given rest^(ao) by the Spirit of the Lord . This is how you guided your people to make for yourself a glorious name.

Look down from heaven^(ap) and see, from your lofty throne,^(aq) holy and glorious. Where are your zeal^(ar) and your might? Your tenderness and compassion^(as) are withheld^(at) from us.

But you are our Father,^(au) though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge^(av) us; you, Lord , are our Father, our Redeemer^(aw) from of old is your name.

Why, Lord , do you make us wander^(ax) from your ways and harden our hearts^(ay) so we do not revere^(az) you? Return^(ba) for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are your inheritance.^(bb)

For a little while^(bc) your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled^(bd) down your sanctuary.^(be)

We are yours from of old; but you have not ruled over them, they have not been called^[c] by your name.^(bf)