Study Desk

For this is what the LORD says: "^(C1)Sing aloud with joy for Jacob, And be joyful with the ^(F1)(C2)chief of the nations; Proclaim, give praise, and say, 'LORD, ^(C3)save Your people, The ^(C4)remnant of Israel!'

-"Behold, I am ^(C1)bringing them from the north country, And I will ^(C2)gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them those who are ^(C3)blind and those who ^(C4)limp, The pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; They will return here as a great assembly.

-"^(C1)They will come with weeping, And by pleading I will bring them; I will lead them by ^(C2)streams of waters, On a straight path on which they will ^(C3)not stumble; For I am a ^(C4)father to Israel, And Ephraim is ^(C5)My firstborn."

Hear the word of the LORD, you nations, And declare it in the ^(C1)coastlands far away, And say, "He who scattered Israel will ^(C2)gather him, And He will keep him as a ^(C3)shepherd keeps his flock."

For the LORD has ^(C1)ransomed Jacob And redeemed him from the hand of him who was ^(C2)stronger than he.

"They will ^(C1)come and shout for joy on the ^(C2)height of Zion, And they will be ^(C3)radiant over the ^(F1)bounty of the LORD— Over the ^(C4)grain, the new wine, the oil, And over the young of the ^(C5)flock and the herd. And their life will be like a ^(C6)watered garden, And they will ^(C7)never languish again.

-"Then the virgin will rejoice in the ^(C1)dance, And the young men and the old together; For I will ^(C2)turn their mourning into joy And comfort them, and give them ^(C3)joy for their sorrow.

-"I will refresh the soul of the priests with ^(F1)abundance, And My people will be ^(C1)satisfied with My goodness," declares the LORD.