Study Desk

"Listen^(a) to me, you who pursue righteousness^(b) and who seek^(c) the Lord : Look to the rock^(d) from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;

look to Abraham,^(e) your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many.^(f)

The Lord will surely comfort^(g) Zion^(h) and will look with compassion on all her ruins;⁽ⁱ⁾ he will make her deserts like Eden,^(j) her wastelands^(k) like the garden of the Lord . Joy and gladness^(l) will be found in her, thanksgiving^(m) and the sound of singing.

"Listen to me, my people;⁽ⁿ⁾ hear me,^(o) my nation: Instruction^(p) will go out from me; my justice^(q) will become a light to the nations.^(r)

My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation^(s) is on the way,^(t) and my arm^(u) will bring justice to the nations. The islands^(v) will look to me and wait in hope^(w) for my arm.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke,^(x) the earth will wear out like a garment^(y) and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation^(z) will last forever,^(aa) my righteousness will never fail.^(ab)

"Hear me, you who know what is right,^(ac) you people who have taken my instruction to heart:^(ad) Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults.^(ae)

For the moth will eat them up like a garment;^(af) the worm^(ag) will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever,^(ah) my salvation through all generations."

Awake, awake,^(ai) arm^(aj) of the Lord , clothe yourself with strength!^(ak) Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old.^(al) Was it not you who cut Rahab^(am) to pieces, who pierced that monster^(an) through?

Was it not you who dried up the sea,^(ao) the waters of the great deep,^(ap) who made a road in the depths of the sea^(aq) so that the redeemed^(ar) might cross over?

Those the Lord has rescued^(as) will return. They will enter Zion with singing;^(at) everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy^(au) will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.^(av)

"I, even I, am he who comforts^(aw) you. Who are you that you fear^(ax) mere mortals,^(ay) human beings who are but grass,^(az)

that you forget^(ba) the Lord your Maker,^(bb) who stretches out the heavens^(bc) and who lays the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror^(bd) every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor?^(be)

The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;^(bf) they will not die in their dungeon, nor will they lack bread.^(bg)

For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea^(bh) so that its waves roar^(bi)— the Lord Almighty^(bj) is his name.

I have put my words in your mouth^(bk) and covered you with the shadow of my hand^(bl)— I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth,^(bm) and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.^(bn)'"

Awake, awake!^(bo) Rise up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup^(bp) of his wrath,^(bq) you who have drained to its dregs^(br) the goblet that makes people stagger.^(bs)

Among all the children^(bt) she bore there was none to guide her;^(bu) among all the children she reared there was none to take her by the hand.^(bv)

These double calamities^(bw) have come upon you— who can comfort you?^(bx)— ruin and destruction,^(by) famine^(bz) and sword^(ca)— who can^[a] console you?

Your children have fainted; they lie at every street corner,^(cb) like antelope caught in a net.^(cc) They are filled with the wrath^(cd) of the Lord , with the rebuke^(ce) of your God.

Therefore hear this, you afflicted^(cf) one, made drunk,^(cg) but not with wine.

This is what your Sovereign Lord says, your God, who defends^(ch) his people: "See, I have taken out of your hand the cup^(ci) that made you stagger; from that cup, the goblet of my wrath, you will never drink again.

I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,^(cj) who said to you, ‘Fall prostrate^(ck) that we may walk^(cl) on you.' And you made your back like the ground, like a street to be walked on."^(cm)

Awake, awake,^(a) Zion, clothe yourself with strength!^(b) Put on your garments of splendor,^(c) Jerusalem, the holy city.^(d) The uncircumcised^(e) and defiled^(f) will not enter you again.^(g)

Shake off your dust;^(h) rise up,⁽ⁱ⁾ sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck,^(j) Daughter Zion,^(k) now a captive.

For this is what the Lord says: "You were sold for nothing,^(l) and without money^(m) you will be redeemed.⁽ⁿ⁾"

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "At first my people went down to Egypt^(o) to live; lately, Assyria^(p) has oppressed them.

"And now what do I have here?" declares the Lord . "For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock,^[a]" declares the Lord . "And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed.^(q)

Therefore my people will know^(r) my name;^(s) therefore in that day^(t) they will know that it is I who foretold^(u) it. Yes, it is I."

How beautiful on the mountains^(v) are the feet of those who bring good news,^(w) who proclaim peace,^(x) who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"^(y)

Listen! Your watchmen^(z) lift up their voices;^(aa) together they shout for joy.^(ab) When the Lord returns^(ac) to Zion,^(ad) they will see it with their own eyes.

Burst into songs of joy^(ae) together, you ruins^(af) of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted^(ag) his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.^(ah)

The Lord will lay bare his holy arm^(ai) in the sight of all the nations,^(aj) and all the ends of the earth^(ak) will see the salvation^(al) of our God.

Depart,^(am) depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing!^(an) Come out from it and be pure,^(ao) you who carry the articles^(ap) of the Lord 's house.

But you will not leave in haste^(aq) or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you,^(ar) the God of Israel will be your rear guard.^(as)

See, my servant^(at) will act wisely^[b]; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.^(au)

Just as there were many who were appalled^(av) at him^[c]— his appearance was so disfigured^(aw) beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness^(ax)—

so he will sprinkle^(ay) many nations,^[d] and kings^(az) will shut their mouths^(ba) because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.^(bb)

Who has believed our message^(a) and to whom has the arm^(b) of the Lord been revealed?^(c)

He grew up before him like a tender shoot,^(d) and like a root^(e) out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance^(f) that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering,^(g) and familiar with pain.^(h) Like one from whom people hide⁽ⁱ⁾ their faces he was despised,^(j) and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,^(k) yet we considered him punished by God,^(l) stricken by him, and afflicted.^(m)

But he was pierced⁽ⁿ⁾ for our transgressions,^(o) he was crushed^(p) for our iniquities; the punishment^(q) that brought us peace^(r) was on him, and by his wounds^(s) we are healed.^(t)

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,^(u) each of us has turned to our own way;^(v) and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity^(w) of us all.

He was oppressed^(x) and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;^(y) he was led like a lamb^(z) to the slaughter,^(aa) and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression^[a] and judgment^(ab) he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living;^(ac) for the transgression^(ad) of my people he was punished.^[b]

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,^(ae) and with the rich^(af) in his death, though he had done no violence,^(ag) nor was any deceit in his mouth.^(ah)

Yet it was the Lord 's will^(ai) to crush^(aj) him and cause him to suffer,^(ak) and though the Lord makes^[c] his life an offering for sin,^(al) he will see his offspring^(am) and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper^(an) in his hand.

After he has suffered,^(ao) he will see the light^(ap) of life^[d] and be satisfied^[e]; by his knowledge^[f] my righteous servant^(aq) will justify^(ar) many, and he will bear their iniquities.^(as)

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,^[g](at) and he will divide the spoils^(au) with the strong,^[h] because he poured out his life unto death,^(av) and was numbered with the transgressors.^(aw) For he bore^(ax) the sin of many,^(ay) and made intercession^(az) for the transgressors.

"Sing, barren woman,^(a) you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy,^(b) you who were never in labor;^(c) because more are the children^(d) of the desolate^(e) woman than of her who has a husband,^(f)" says the Lord .

"Enlarge the place of your tent,^(g) stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.^(h)

For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants⁽ⁱ⁾ will dispossess nations^(j) and settle in their desolate^(k) cities.

"Do not be afraid;^(l) you will not be put to shame.^(m) Do not fear disgrace;⁽ⁿ⁾ you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth^(o) and remember no more the reproach^(p) of your widowhood.^(q)

For your Maker^(r) is your husband^(s)— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One^(t) of Israel is your Redeemer;^(u) he is called the God of all the earth.^(v)

The Lord will call you back^(w) as if you were a wife deserted^(x) and distressed in spirit— a wife who married young,^(y) only to be rejected," says your God.

"For a brief moment^(z) I abandoned^(aa) you, but with deep compassion^(ab) I will bring you back.^(ac)

In a surge of anger^(ad) I hid^(ae) my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness^(af) I will have compassion^(ag) on you," says the Lord your Redeemer.^(ah)

"To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.^(ai) So now I have sworn^(aj) not to be angry^(ak) with you, never to rebuke^(al) you again.

Though the mountains be shaken^(am) and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love^(an) for you will not be shaken^(ao) nor my covenant^(ap) of peace^(aq) be removed," says the Lord , who has compassion^(ar) on you.

"Afflicted^(as) city, lashed by storms^(at) and not comforted,^(au) I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,^[a](av) your foundations^(aw) with lapis lazuli.^(ax)

I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates^(ay) of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.

All your children will be taught by the Lord ,^(az) and great will be their peace.^(ba)

In righteousness^(bb) you will be established:^(bc) Tyranny^(bd) will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear.^(be) Terror^(bf) 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^(bg) to you.

"See, it is I who created the blacksmith^(bh) who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon^(bi) fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer^(bj) to wreak havoc;

no weapon forged against you will prevail,^(bk) and you will refute^(bl) every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants^(bm) of the Lord , and this is their vindication^(bn) from me," declares the Lord .

"Come, all you who are thirsty,^(a) come to the waters;^(b) and you who have no money, come, buy^(c) and eat! Come, buy wine and milk^(d) without money and without cost.^(e)

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?^(f) Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,^(g) and you will delight in the richest^(h) of fare.

Give ear and come to me; listen,⁽ⁱ⁾ that you may live.^(j) I will make an everlasting covenant^(k) with you, my faithful love^(l) promised to David.^(m)

See, I have made him a witness⁽ⁿ⁾ to the peoples, a ruler and commander^(o) of the peoples.

Surely you will summon nations^(p) you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you,^(q) because of the Lord your God, the Holy One^(r) of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."^(s)

Seek^(t) the Lord while he may be found;^(u) call^(v) on him while he is near.

Let the wicked forsake^(w) their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.^(x) Let them turn^(y) to the Lord , and he will have mercy^(z) on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.^(aa)

"For my thoughts^(ab) are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"^(ac) declares the Lord .

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,^(ad) so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.^(ae)

As the rain^(af) and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish,^(ag) so that it yields seed^(ah) for the sower and bread for the eater,^(ai)

so is my word^(aj) that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,^(ak) but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose^(al) for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy^(am) and be led forth in peace;^(an) the mountains and hills will burst into song^(ao) before you, and all the trees^(ap) of the field will clap their hands.^(aq)

Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers^(ar) the myrtle^(as) will grow. This will be for the Lord 's renown,^(at) for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever."