Sunday, August 26, 2012

Isaiah 51

“I, even I, am he who comforts you.
    Who are you that you fear mere mortals, 
    human beings who are but grass, 
13 that you forget the Lord your Maker, 
    who stretches out the heavens 
    and who lays the foundations of the earth,
that you live in constant terror every day
    because of the wrath of the oppressor,
    who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor? 
14     The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; 
they will not die in their dungeon,
    nor will they lack bread. 
15 For I am the Lord your God,
    who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar 
    the Lord Almighty is his name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth 
    and covered you with the shadow of my hand 
I who set the heavens in place,
    who laid the foundations of the earth, 
    and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people. ’”

The Cup of the Lord’s Wrath

17 Awake, awake! 
    Rise up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
    the cup of his wrath, 
you who have drained to its dregs 
    the goblet that makes people stagger. 
18 Among all the children she bore
    there was none to guide her; 
among all the children she reared
    there was none to take her by the hand. 
19 These double calamities have come upon you—
    who can comfort you? 
ruin and destruction, famine and sword 
    who can[a] console you?
20 Your children have fainted;
    they lie at every street corner, 
    like antelope caught in a net. 
They are filled with the wrath of the Lord,
    with the rebuke of your God.
21 Therefore hear this, you afflicted one,
    made drunk, but not with wine.
22 This is what your Sovereign Lord says,
    your God, who defends his people:
“See, I have taken out of your hand
    the cup that made you stagger;
from that cup, the goblet of my wrath,
    you will never drink again.
23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors, 
    who said to you,
    ‘Fall prostrate that we may walk on you.’
And you made your back like the ground,
    like a street to be walked on.”

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