Isaiah
54
- "Sing, O barren woman, you who never
bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a
husband," says the LORD.
- "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch
your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen
your stakes.
- For you will spread out to the right and
to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their
desolate cities.
- "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer
shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the
shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
- For your Maker is your husband
-- the LORD Almighty is his name -- the Holy
One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
- The LORD will call you back as if you were
a wife deserted and distressed in spirit --
a wife who married young, only to be rejected," says your God.
- "For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
- In a surge of anger I hid my face from you
for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.
- "To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So
now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.
- Though the mountains be shaken and the hills
be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant
of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
- "O afflicted city, lashed by storms
and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations
with sapphires.
- I will make your battlements of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.
- All your sons will be taught by the LORD,
and great will be your children's peace.
- In righteousness you will be established:
Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be
far removed; it will not come near you.
- If anyone does attack you, it will not be
my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you.
- "See, it is I who created the blacksmith
who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it
is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;
- no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of
the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares
the LORD.
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