Isaiah 54

The Eternal Covenant of Peace

1  "Sing, O barren one, who did not bear;
break forth into singing and cry aloud,
you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than the children of her who is married," says the Lord.
2  "Enlarge the place of your tent,
and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
and strengthen your stakes.
3  For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left,
and your offspring will possess the nations
and will people the desolate cities.

4  "Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5  For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
6  For the Lord has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
7  For a brief moment I deserted you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
8  In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,"
says the Lord, your Redeemer.

9  "This is like the days of Noaht to me:
as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you,
and will not rebuke you.
10  For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,"
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

11  "O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted,
behold, I will set your stones in antimony,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.t
12  I will make your pinnacles of agate,t
your gates of carbuncles,t
and all your wall of precious stones.
13  All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great shall be the peace of your children.
14  In righteousness you shall be established;
you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
15  If anyone stirs up strife,
it is not from me;
whoever stirs up strife with you
shall fall because of you.
16  Behold, I have created the smith
who blows the fire of coals
and produces a weapon for its purpose.
I have also created the ravager to destroy;
17  no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,
and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord
and their vindicationt from me, declares the Lord."

Isaiah 54

Zion Will Be Secure

1 “Shout for joy, O barren one who has not given birth!
Give a joyful shout and cry out, you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.

2 Make your tent larger,
stretch your tent curtains farther out!t
Spare no effort,
lengthen your ropes,
and pound your stakes deep.t

3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your children will conquert nations
and will resettle desolate cities.

4 Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame!
Don’t be intimidated,t for you will not be humiliated!
You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth;
you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment.t

5 For your husband is the one who made you –
the Lord who commands armies is his name.
He is your protector,t the Holy One of Israel.s
He is called “God of the entire earth.”

6 “Indeed, the Lord will call you back
like a wife who has been abandoned and suffers from depression,t
like a young wife when she has been rejected,” says your God.

7 “For a short time I abandonedt you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.

8 In a burstt of anger I rejected yout momentarily,
but with lasting devotion I will have compassion on you,”
says your protector,t the Lord.

9 “As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time,s
when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s floodt would never again cover the earth.
In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.

10 Even if the mountains are removed
and the hills displaced,
my devotion will not be removed from you,
nor will my covenant of friendshipt be displaced,”
says the Lord, the one who has compassion on you.

11 “O afflicted one, driven away,t and unconsoled!
Look, I am about to set your stones in antimony
and I lay your foundation with lapis-lazuli.

12 I will make your pinnacles out of gems,t
your gates out of beryl,t
and your outer wallt out of beautifult stones.

13 All your children will be followers of the Lord,
and your children will enjoy great prosperity.t

14 You will be reestablished when I vindicate you.t
You will not experience oppression;t
indeed, you will not be afraid.
You will not be terrified,t
for nothing frighteningt will come near you.

15 If anyone dares tot challenge you, it will not be my doing!
Whoever tries to challenge you will be defeated.t

16 Look, I create the craftsman,
who fans the coals into a fire
and forges a weapon.t
I create the destroyer so he might devastate.

17 No weapon forged to be used against you will succeed;
you will refute everyone who tries to accuse you.t
This is what the Lord will do for his servants –
I will vindicate them,”t
says the Lord.