Isaiah 51

1Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

3For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

4Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

5My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

7Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

8For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

9Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

10Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

11Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

12I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

13And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?footnote a

14The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

15But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.

16And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

17Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

18There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.

19These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?footnote bfootnote c

20Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

21Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

22Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

23But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

Salvation for Zion

1“Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness,you who seek the LORD:Look to the rock from which you were cut,and to the quarry from which you were hewn. 2Look to Abraham your father,and to Sarah who gave you birth.When I called him, he was but one;then I blessed him and multiplied him. 3For the LORD will comfort Zionand will look with compassion on all her ruins;He will make her wilderness like Edenand her desert like the garden of the LORD.Joy and gladness will be found in her,thanksgiving and melodious song.

4Pay attention to Me, My people,and listen to Me, My nation;for a law will go out from Me,and My justice will become a light to the nations;I will bring it about quickly.

5My righteousness draws near,My salvation is on the way,and My arms will bring justice to the nations.The islandsfootnote awill look for Meand wait in hope for My arm. 6Lift up your eyes to the heavens,and look at the earth below;for the heavens will vanish like smoke,the earth will wear out like a garment,and its people will die like gnats.But My salvation will last forever,and My righteousness will never fail.

7Listen to Me, you who know what is right,you people with My law in your hearts:Do not fear the scorn of men;do not be broken by their insults. 8For the moth will devour them like a garment,and the worm will eat them like wool.But My righteousness will last forever,My salvation through all generations.”

9Awake, awake,put on strength, O arm of the LORD.Wake up as in days past,as in generations of old.Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces,who pierced through the dragon? 10Was it not You who dried up the sea,the waters of the great deep,who made a road in the depths of the seafor the redeemed to cross over? 11So the redeemed of the LORD will returnand enter Zion with singing,crowned with everlasting joy.Gladness and joy will overtake them,and sorrow and sighing will flee.

12“I, even I, am He who comforts you.Why should you be afraid of mortal man,of a son of man who withers like grass? 13But you have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,who stretched out the heavensand laid the foundations of the earth.You live in terror all day longbecause of the fury of the oppressorwho is bent on destruction.But where is the fury of the oppressor? 14The captive will soon be freed;he will not die in the dungeon,and his bread will not be lacking. 15For I am the LORD your Godwho stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name. 16I have put My words in your mouth,and covered you with the shadow of My hand,to establishfootnote bthe heavens, to found the earth,and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”

God’s Fury Removed

17Awake, awake!Rise up, O Jerusalem,you who have drunk from the hand of the LORDthe cup of His fury;you who have drained the goblet to the dregs—the cup that makes men stagger. 18Among all the sons she bore,there is no one to guide her;among all the sons she brought up,there is no one to take her hand. 19These pairs have befallen you:devastation and destruction,famine and sword.Who will grieve for you?Who can comfort you?footnote c 20Your sons have fainted;they lie at the head of every street,like an antelope in a net.They are full of the wrath of the LORD,the rebuke of your God.

21Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one,drunken, but not with wine. 22Thus says your Lord, the LORD,even your God, who defends His people:“See, I have removed from your handthe cup of staggering.From that goblet, the cup of My fury,you will never drink again. 23I will place it in the hands of your tormentors,who told you: ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you,’so that you made your back like the ground,like a street to be traversed.”