Study Desk

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)

^[a]Oh, that you would rend the heavens^(a) and come down,^(b) that the mountains^(c) would tremble before you!

As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name^(d) known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake^(e) before you!

For when you did awesome^(f) things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled^(g) before you.

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you,^(h) who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.⁽ⁱ⁾

You come to the help of those who gladly do right,^(j) who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry.^(k) How then can we be saved?

All of us have become like one who is unclean,^(l) and all our righteous^(m) acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf,⁽ⁿ⁾ and like the wind our sins sweep us away.^(o)

No one^(p) calls on your name^(q) or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden^(r) your face from us and have given us over^(s) to^[b] our sins.

Yet you, Lord , are our Father.^(t) We are the clay, you are the potter;^(u) we are all the work of your hand.^(v)

Do not be angry^(w) beyond measure, Lord ; do not remember our sins^(x) forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.^(y)

Your sacred cities^(z) have become a wasteland; even Zion is a wasteland, Jerusalem a desolation.^(aa)

Our holy and glorious temple,^(ab) where our ancestors praised you, has been burned with fire, and all that we treasured^(ac) lies in ruins.

After all this, Lord , will you hold yourself back?^(ad) Will you keep silent^(ae) and punish us beyond measure?