Isaiah 55
The Compassion of the Lord
1
"Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
2
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
3
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
4
Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
5
Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
6
"Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
7
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12
"For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the Lord,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."
Isaiah 55
The Lord Gives an Invitation
1 “Hey,t all who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come!
Buy and eat!
Come! Buy wine and milk
without money and without cost!s
2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you?t
Why spendt your hard-earned moneyt on something that will not satisfy?
Listen carefullyt to me and eat what is nourishing!t
Enjoy fine food!ts
3 Pay attention and come to me!
Listen, so you can live!ts
Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise tot you,
just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.t
4 Look, I made him a witness to nations,s
a ruler and commander of nations.”
5 Look, you will summon nationst you did not previously know;
nationst that did not previously know you will run to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,s
for he bestows honor on you.
6 Seek the Lord while he makes himself available;t
call to him while he is nearby!
7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestylet
and sinful people their plans.t
They should returnt to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them,t
and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.s
8 “Indeed,t my planst are not liket your plans,
and my deedst are not liket your deeds,
9 for just as the skyt is higher than the earth,
so my deedst are superior tot your deeds
and my planst superior to your plans.
10 t The rain and snow fall from the sky
and do not return,
but instead water the earth
and make it produce and yield crops,
and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.
11 In the same way, the promise that I make
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing.t
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.”ts
12 Indeed you will go out with joy;
you will be led along in peace;
the mountains and hills will give a joyful shout before you,
and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.
13 Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes,
firs will grow in place of nettles;
they will be a monument to the Lord,t
a permanent reminder that will remain.t
