Isaiah 26

Chapter 26

A Song of Praise to the LORD

1 In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song:
Our city is strong!
We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.2 Open the gates to all who are righteous;
allow the faithful to enter.3 You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!4 Trust in the LORD always,
for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.5 He humbles the proud
and brings down the arrogant city.
He brings it down to the dust.6 The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot,
and the needy walk all over it.7 But for those who are righteous,
the way is not steep and rough.
You are a God who does what is right,
and you smooth out the path ahead of them.8 LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;
our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.9 All night long I search for you;
in the morning I earnestly seek for God.
For only when you come to judge the earth
will people learn what is right.10 Your kindness to the wicked
does not make them do good.
Although others do right, the wicked keep doing wrong
and take no notice of the LORD’s majesty.11 O LORD, they pay no attention to your upraised fist.
Show them your eagerness to defend your people.
Then they will be ashamed.
Let your fire consume your enemies.12 LORD, you will grant us peace;
all we have accomplished is really from you.13 O LORD our God, others have ruled us,
but you alone are the one we worship.14 Those we served before are dead and gone.
Their departed spirits will never return!
You attacked them and destroyed them,
and they are long forgotten.15 O LORD, you have made our nation great;
yes, you have made us great.
You have extended our borders,
and we give you the glory!16 LORD, in distress we searched for you.
We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline.17 Just as a pregnant woman
writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth,
so were we in your presence, LORD.18 We, too, writhe in agony,
but nothing comes of our suffering.
We have not given salvation to the earth,
nor brought life into the world.19 But those who die in the LORD will live;
their bodies will rise again!
Those who sleep in the earth
will rise up and sing for joy!
For your life-giving light will fall like dew
on your people in the place of the dead!

Restoration for Israel

20 Go home, my people,
and lock your doors!
Hide yourselves for a little while
until the LORD’s anger has passed.21 Look! The LORD is coming from heaven
to punish the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed.
They will be brought out for all to see.

ISAIAH 26

A Song of Victory

1 The time is coming when the people of Judah will sing this song:
“Our cityt is protected.
The [Lord] is our fortress,
and he gives us victory.

2 Open the city gates
for a law-abiding nation
that is faithful to God.

3 The [Lord] gives perfect peace
to those whose faith is firm.

4 So always trust the [Lord]
because he is forever
our mighty rock.t

5 God has put down our enemies
in their mountain cityt
and rubbed it in the dirt.

6 Now the poor and abused
trample all over that city.”

The [Lord] Can Be Trusted

7 Our [Lord], you always do right,
and you make the path smooth
for those who obey you.

8 You are the one we trust
to bring about justice;
above all else we want
your name to be honored.

9 Throughout the night,
my heart searches for you,
because your decisions
show everyone on this earth
how to live right.

10 Even when the wicked
are treated with mercy
in this land of justice,
they do wrong and are blind
to your glory, our [Lord].

11  t Your hand is raised and ready
to punish them,
but they don't see it.
Put them to shame!
Show how much you care for us
and throw them into the fire
intended for your enemies.

12 You will give us peace, [Lord],
because everything we have done
was by your power.

13 Others have ruled over us
besides you, our [Lord] God,
but we obey only you.

14 Those enemies are now dead
and can never live again.
You have punished them—
they are destroyed,
completely forgotten.

15 Our nation has grown
because of you, our [Lord].
We have more land than before,
and you are honored.

The [Lord] Gives Life //to the Dead

16 When you punished our people,
they turned and prayed
to you, our [Lord].t

17 Because of what you did to us,
we suffered like a woman
about to give birth.

18 But instead of having a child,
our terrible pain
produced only wind.
We have won no victories,
and we have no descendants
to take over the earth.

19 Your people will rise to life!
Tell them to leave their graves
and celebrate with shouts.
You refresh the earth
like morning dew;
you give life to the dead.

20 Go inside and lock the doors,
my people.
Hide there for a little while,
until the [Lord]
is no longer angry.

The Earth and the Sea //Will Be Punished

21 The [Lord] will come out
to punish everyone on earth
for their sins.
And when he does,
those who did violent crimes
will be known and punished.