Isaiah 61:1-63:11

The Year of the LORD’s Favor 1The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, Hebrew; Septuagint the blind

2to proclaim the year of the LORD ’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

3and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

4They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

5Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

6And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.

7Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.

8“For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.

9Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”

10I delight greatly in the LORD ; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Zion’s New Name 1For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.

2The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.

3You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD ’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

4No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, Hephzibah means my delight is in her. and your land Beulah Beulah means married. ; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married.

5As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

6I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest,

7and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.

8The LORD has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled;

9but those who harvest it will eat it and praise the LORD, and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.”

10Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations.

11The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’ ” 12They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD ; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.

God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption 1Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.”

2Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?

3“I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.

4It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come.

5I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me.

6I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”

Praise and Prayer 7I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us— yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.

8He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior.

9In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. Or Savior 9 in their distress. / It was no envoy or angel / but his own presence that saved them In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

10Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them.

11Then his people recalled Or But may he recall the days of old, the days of Moses and his people— where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them,