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Exaltation of the Afflicted

¹ The ^(C1)Spirit of the Lord ^(F1)GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To ^(C2)bring good news to the ^(F2)(C3)afflicted;
He has sent me to ^(C4)bind up the brokenhearted,
To ^(C5)proclaim liberty to captives
And ^(F3)freedom to prisoners;

² To ^(C1)proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the ^(C2)day of vengeance of our God;
To ^(C3)comfort all who mourn,

³ To ^(C1)grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The ^(C2)oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called ^(F1)(C3)oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

⁴ Then they will ^(C1)rebuild the ancient ruins,
They will raise up the former devastations;
And they will repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.

^5 (C1)Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks,
And ^(F1)foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.

⁶ But you will be called the ^(C1)priests of the LORD;
You will be spoken of as ^(C2)ministers of our God.
You will eat the ^(C3)wealth of nations,
And in their ^(F1)riches you will boast.

⁷ Instead of your ^(C1)shame you will have a ^(C2)double portion,
And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion.
Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land,
^(C3)Everlasting joy will be theirs.

⁸ For I, the LORD, ^(C1)love justice,
I hate robbery ^(F1)in the burnt offering;
And I will faithfully give them their recompense
And make an ^(C2)everlasting covenant with them.

⁹ Then their offspring will be known among the nations,
And their descendants in the midst of the peoples.
All who see them will recognize them
Because they are the ^(C1)offspring whom the LORD has blessed.

¹⁰ I will ^(C1)rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in ^(C2)my God;
For He has ^(C3)clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And ^(C4)as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

¹¹ For as the ^(C1)earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord ^(F1)GOD will ^(C2)cause ^(C3)righteousness and praise
To spring up before all the nations.