the Fourth Week of Advent
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Read the Bible
American Standard Version
Isaiah 26
1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation will he appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth faith may enter in. 3 [a]Thou wilt keep him [b]in perfect peace, whose [c]mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in Jehovah for ever; for in [d]Jehovah, even Jehovah, is an [e]everlasting rock. 5 For he hath brought down them that dwell on high, the lofty city: he layeth it low, he layeth it low even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. 6 The foot shall tread it down; even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. 7 The way of the just is [f]uprightness: thou that art upright dost [g]direct the path of the just.
8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Jehovah, have we waited for thee; to thy name, even to thy memorial name, is the desire of our soul. 9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. 10 Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah.
11 Jehovah, thy hand is lifted up, yet they see not: but they shall see [h]thy zeal for the people, and be put to shame; yea, [i]fire shall devour thine adversaries. 12 Jehovah, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou hast also wrought all our works for us. 13 O Jehovah our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. 14 [j]They are dead, they shall not live; they are [k]deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all remembrance of them to perish. 15 Thou hast increased the nation, O Jehovah, thou hast increased the nation; thou art glorified; [l]thou hast enlarged all the borders of the land.
16 Jehovah, in trouble have they [m]visited thee; they poured out a [n]prayer when thy chastening was upon them. 17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain and crieth out in her pangs; so we have been [o]before thee, O Jehovah. 18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; [p]neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. 19 Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of [q]herbs, and the earth shall cast forth [r]the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
