Isaiah 64

Chapter 64

1 tOh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down!
How the mountains would quake in your presence!2 tAs fire causes wood to burn
and water to boil,
your coming would make the nations tremble.
Then your enemies would learn the reason for your fame!3 When you came down long ago,
you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations.
And oh, how the mountains quaked!4 For since the world began,
no ear has heard
and no eye has seen a God like you,
who works for those who wait for him!5 You welcome those who gladly do good,
who follow godly ways.
But you have been very angry with us,
for we are not godly.
We are constant sinners;
how can people like us be saved?6 We are all infected and impure with sin.
When we display our righteous deeds,
they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
and our sins sweep us away like the wind.7 Yet no one calls on your name
or pleads with you for mercy.
Therefore, you have turned away from us
and turned us overt to our sins.8 And yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are the potter.
We all are formed by your hand.9 Don’t be so angry with us, LORD.
Please don’t remember our sins forever.
Look at us, we pray,
and see that we are all your people.10 Your holy cities are destroyed.
Zion is a wilderness;
yes, Jerusalem is a desolate ruin.11 The holy and beautiful Temple
where our ancestors praised you
has been burned down,
and all the things of beauty are destroyed.12 After all this, LORD, must you still refuse to help us?
Will you continue to be silent and punish us?

ISAIAH 64

1 Rip the heavens apart!
Come down, [Lord];
make the mountains tremble.

2 Be a spark that starts a fire
causing water to boil.t
Then your enemies will know
who you are;
all nations will tremble
because you are nearby.

3 Your fearsome deeds
have completely amazed us;
even the mountains shake
when you come down.

4  t You are the only God
ever seen or heard of
who works miracles
for his followers.

5 You help all who gladly obey
and do what you want,
but sin makes you angry.
Only by your help
can we ever be saved.t

6 We are unfit to worship you;
each of our good deeds
is merely a filthy rag.
We dry up like leaves;
our sins are storm winds
sweeping us away.

7 No one worships in your name
or remains faithful.
You have turned your back on us
and let our sins melt us away.t

8 You, [Lord], are our Father.
We are nothing but clay,
but you are the potter
who molded us.

9 Don't be so furious
or keep our sins
in your thoughts forever!
Remember that all of us
are your people.

10 Every one of your towns
has turned into a desert,
especially Jerusalem.

11 Zion's glorious and holy temple
where our ancestors praised you
has been destroyed by fire.
Our beautiful buildings
are now a pile of ruins.

12 When you see these things,
how can you just sit there
and make us suffer more?