Isaiah 26
1 In that day sung is this song in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city, Salvation He doth make walls and bulwark.
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; salvation is established as its walls and ramparts.
2 Open ye the gates, that enter may a righteous nation, Preserving stedfastness.
Open the gates so a righteous nation may enter— one that remains faithful.
3 An imagination supported Thou fortifiest peace — peace! For in Thee it is confident.
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
4 Trust ye in Jehovah for ever, For in Jah Jehovah [is] a rock of ages,
Trust in the LORD forever, because GOD the LORD is the Rock eternal.
5 For He bowed down the dwellers on high, A city set on high He maketh low, He maketh it low unto the earth, He causeth it to come unto the dust,
For He has humbled those who dwell on high; He lays the lofty city low. He brings it down to the ground; He casts it into the dust.
6 Tread it down doth a foot, Feet of the poor — steps of the weak.
Feet trample it down— the feet of the oppressed, the steps of the poor.
7 The path for the righteous [is] uprightness, O upright One, The path of the righteous Thou dost ponder.
The path of the righteous is level; You clear a straight path for the upright.
8 Also, [in] the path of Thy judgments, O Jehovah, we have waited [for] Thee, To Thy name and to Thy remembrance [Is] the desire of the soul.
Yes, we wait for You, O LORD; we walk in the path of Your judgments. Your name and renown are the desire of our souls.
9 [With] my soul I desired Thee in the night, Also, [with] my spirit within me I seek Thee earnestly, For when Thy judgments [are] on the earth, The inhabitants of the world have learned righteousness.
My soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit seeks You at dawn. For when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
10 The wicked findeth favour, He hath not learned righteousness, In a land of straightforwardness he dealeth perversely, And seeth not the excellency of Jehovah.
Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD.
11 O Jehovah, high [is] Thy hand — they see not, They see the zeal of the people, and are ashamed, Also, the fire — Thine adversaries, consumeth them.
O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them!
12 O Jehovah, Thou appointest peace to us, For, all our works also Thou hast wrought for us.
O LORD, You will establish peace for us. For all that we have accomplished, You have done for us.
13 O Jehovah our God, lords have ruled us besides Thee, Only, by Thee we make mention of Thy name.
O LORD our God, other lords besides You have had dominion, but Your name alone do we confess.
14 Dead — they live not, Rephaim, they rise not, Therefore Thou hast inspected and dost destroy them, Yea, thou destroyest all their memory.
The dead will not live; the departed spirits will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them; You have wiped out all memory of them.
15 Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah, Thou hast added to the nation, Thou hast been honoured, Thou hast put far off all the ends of earth.
You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; You have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for Yourself; You have extended all the borders of the land.
16 O Jehovah, in distress they missed Thee, They have poured out a whisper, Thy chastisement [is] on them.
O LORD, they sought You in their distress; when You disciplined them, they poured out a quiet prayer.
17 When a pregnant woman cometh near to the birth, She is pained — she crieth in her pangs, So we have been from Thy face, O Jehovah.
As a woman with child about to give birth writhes and cries out in pain, so were we in Your presence, O LORD.
18 We have conceived, we have been pained. We have brought forth as it were wind, Salvation we do not work in the earth, Nor do the inhabitants of the world fall.
We were with child; we writhed in pain; but we gave birth to wind. We have given no salvation to the earth, nor brought any life into the world.
19 'Thy dead live — My dead body they rise. Awake and sing, ye dwellers in the dust, For the dew of herbs [is] thy dew, And the land of Rephaim thou causest to fall.
Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead.
20 Come, My people, enter into thy inner chambers, And shut thy doors behind thee, Hide thyself shortly a moment till the indignation pass over.
Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed.
21 For, lo, Jehovah is coming out of His place, To charge the iniquity of the inhabitant of the earth upon him, And revealed hath the earth her blood, Nor doth she cover any more her slain!'
For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.
