Isaiah 55

God Gives What Is Good

1 The Lord says, “All you who are thirsty, come and drink.
Those of you who do not have money, come, buy and eat!
Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

2 Why spend your money on something that is not real food? Why work for something that doesn’t really satisfy you?
Listen closely to me, and you will eat what is good; your soul will enjoy the rich food that satisfies.

3 Come to me and listen; listen to me so you may live.
I will make an agreement with you that will last forever. I will give you the blessings I promised to David.

4 I made David a witness of my power for all nations, a ruler and commander of many nations.

5 You will call for nations that you don’t yet know. And these nations that do not know you will run to you
because of the Lord your God, because of the Holy One of Israel who honors you.”

6 So you should look for the Lord before it is too late; you should call to him while he is near.

7 The wicked should stop doing wrong, and they should stop their evil thoughts.
They should return to the Lord so he may have mercy on them. They should come to our God, because he will freely forgive them.

8 The Lord says, “My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways.

9 Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

10 Rain and snow fall from the sky and don’t return without watering the ground.
They cause the plants to sprout and grow, making seeds for the farmer and bread for the people.

11 The same thing is true of the words I speak. They will not return to me empty.
They make the things happen that I want to happen, and they succeed in doing what I send them to do.

12 “So you will go out with joy and be led out in peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees in the fields will clap their hands.

13 Large cypress trees will grow where thornbushes were. Myrtle trees will grow where weeds were.
These things will be a reminder of the Lord’s promise, and this reminder will never be destroyed.”

Isaiah 55

1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples.5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not; and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.6 Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah.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 cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater;11 so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands.13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.