Isaiah 26

1 In that day will this song be made in the land of Judah: We have a strong town; he will make salvation our walls and towers.

In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.

2 Let the doors be open, so that the upright nation which keeps faith may come in.

Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.

3 The man whose heart is unmoved you will keep in peace, because his hope is in you.

You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.

4 Let your hope be in the Lord for ever: for the Lord Jah is an unchanging Rock.

Trust in the LORD forever; for in the LORD, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock.

5 For he has made low those who are lifted up, all the people of the town of pride: he makes it low, crushing it down to the earth; he makes it low in the dust.

For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust.

6 It will be crushed under the feet of the poor and the steps of those who are in need.

The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.”

7 The way of the good man is straight; the road of the upright is made smooth by you.

The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.

8 We have been waiting for you, O Lord; the desire of our soul is for the memory of your name.

Yes, in the way of your judgements, LORD, we have waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.

9 In the night the desire of my soul has been for you; early will my spirit be searching for you; for when your punishments come on the earth, the people of the world will get the knowledge of righteousness.

With my soul I have desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me I will seek you earnestly; for when your judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

10 Even if you are kind to the evil-doer, he will not go after righteousness; even in the land of the upright he will still go on in his wrongdoing, and will not see the glory of the Lord.

Let favour be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see the LORD’s majesty.

11 Lord, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see: let them see ... yes, your haters will be burned up in the fire.

LORD, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.

12 Lord, you will give us peace: for all our works are the outcome of your purpose.

LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also done all our work for us.

13 O Lord, our God, other lords than you have had rule over us; but in you only is our salvation, and no other name will we take on our lips.

LORD our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us, but we will only acknowledge your name.

14 The dead will not come back to life: their spirits will not come back to earth; for this cause you have sent destruction on them, so that the memory of them is dead.

The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.

15 You have made the nation great, O Lord, you have made it great; glory is yours: you have made wide the limits of the land.

You have increased the nation, O LORD. You have increased the nation! You are glorified! You have enlarged all the borders of the land.

16 Lord, in trouble our eyes have been turned to you, we sent up a prayer when your punishment was on us.

LORD, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.

17 As a woman with child, whose time is near, is troubled, crying out in her pain; so have we been before you, O Lord.

Just as a woman with child, who draws near the time of her delivery, is in pain and cries out in her pangs, so we have been before you, LORD.

18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have given birth to wind; no salvation has come to the earth through us, and no children have come into the world.

We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19 Your dead will come back; their dead bodies will come to life again. Those in the dust, awaking from their sleep, will send out a song; for your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the shades.

Your dead shall live. Their dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.

20 Come, my people, into your secret places, and let your doors be shut: keep yourself safe for a short time, till his wrath is over.

Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.

21 For the Lord is coming out of his place to send punishment on the people of the earth for their evil-doing: the earth will let the blood drained out on her be seen, and will keep her dead covered no longer.

For, behold, the LORD comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her blood, and will no longer cover her slain.