Isaiah 64

1 If only You would rend the heavens and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence,

Oh that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—

2 as fire kindles the brushwood and causes the water to boil, to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that the nations will tremble at Your presence!

as when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil. Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!

3 When You did awesome works that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled at Your presence.

When you did awesome things which we did not look for, you came down, and the mountains quaked at your presence.

4 From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him.

5 You welcome those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. Surely You were angry, for we sinned. How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?

You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time. Shall we be saved?

6 Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

7 No one calls on Your name or strives to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us and delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.

There is no one who calls on your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have consumed us by means of our iniquities.

8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.

But now, LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay and you our potter. We all are the work of your hand.

9 Do not be angry, O LORD, beyond measure; do not remember our iniquity forever. Oh, look upon us, we pray; we are all Your people!

Do not be furious, LORD. Do not remember iniquity forever. Look and see, we beg you, we are all your people.

10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wasteland and Jerusalem a desolation.

Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

11 Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins.

Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised you is burned with fire. All our pleasant places are laid waste.

12 After all this, O LORD, will You restrain Yourself? Will You keep silent and afflict us beyond measure?

Will you hold yourself back for these things, LORD? Will you keep silent and punish us very severely?