Isaiah 64
1 If only you would rip the heavens apart and come down! The mountains would tremble in your presence!
Oh that you would rend the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might flow down at your presence,
2 In the same way that fire burns wood and makes the water boil, make your reputation known to your enemies, so that nations will tremble in your presence!
As when the melting fire burns, the fire causes the waters to boil, to make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence!
3 In the past you did things we weren't anticipating. You came down and the mountains trembled in your presence!
When you did terrible things which we looked not for, you came down, the mountains flowed down at your presence.
4 Since the beginning, no one has heard about, no one has paid attention to, and no one has seen any God except you, the one who helps those who place their confidence in you.
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside you, what he has prepared for him that waits for him.
5 You join with those who are glad, and with those who do what's right and remember to follow your ways. But when we went on sinning, you became angry. How can we be saved if we go on like this?
You meet him that rejoices and works righteousness, those that remember you in your ways: behold, you are angry; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
6 We've all become unclean, and all the good things we do are like dirty rags. We wither and die like autumn leaves, and our sins, like the wind, blow us away.
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
7 There's no one who calls for you or really wants to hold onto you, because you have hidden your face from us and let us drown in our own sins.
And there is none that calls upon your name, that stirs up himself to take hold of you: for you have hid your face from us, and have consumed us, because of our iniquities.
8 But you, Lord, are our Father. We're the clay, you're the potter. You made us all with your own hands.
But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.
9 Please limit your anger, Lord, and don't remember our sins forever. Look at us, and see that we are all your people.
Be not angry very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we plead to you, we are all your people.
10 Your holy cities have been turned into a wilderness; Zion has become a desert; yes, even Jerusalem is an abandoned ruin.
Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11 Our beautiful, holy Temple where our forefathers praised you has been burned down, and all that we treasured has been destroyed.
Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12 In view of all this, are you still going to refuse to help us? Are you going to stay quiet and punish us so severely?
Will you refrain yourself for these things, O LORD? will you hold your peace, and afflict us very sore?
