For
Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace,
and
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until
her righteousness shines out like the dawn,
and
her salvation like a burning lamp.
The
nations will see your righteousness,
and
all kings your glory.
You
will be called by a new name,
which
Yahweh’s mouth will name.
You
will also be a crown of beauty in Yahweh’s hand,
and
a royal diadem in your God’s hand.
You
will not be called Forsaken any more,
nor
will your land be called Desolate anymore;
but
you will be called Hephzibah,
and
your land Beulah;
for
Yahweh delights in you,
and
your land will be married.
For
as a young man marries a virgin,
so
your sons will marry you.
As
a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so
your God will rejoice over you.
I
have set watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem.
They
will never be silent day nor night.
You
who call on Yahweh, take no rest,
and
give him no rest, until he establishes,
and
until he makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Yahweh
has sworn by his right hand,
and
by the arm of his strength,
Surely,
I will no more give your grain to be food for your enemies,
and
foreigners will not drink your new wine, for which you have labored,
but
those who have harvested it will eat it, and praise Yahweh.
Those
who have gathered it will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.”
Go
through, go through the gates!
Prepare
the way of the people!
Build
up, build up the highway!
Gather
out the stones!
Lift
up a banner for the peoples.
Behold,
Yahweh has proclaimed to the end of the earth,
“Say
to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold,
your salvation comes!
Behold,
his reward is with him,
and
his recompense before him!’ ”
They
will call them “The Holy People,
Yahweh’s
Redeemed”.
You
will be called “Sought Out,
A
City Not Forsaken”.
Isaiah 62
Photo: Atop Bell Rock, Sedona, Arizona, by the author
Photo: Atop Bell Rock, Sedona, Arizona, by the author