Isaiah 60:1-22
Zion Will Be Glorious
“People of Jerusalem, get up.
Shine, because your light has come.
The glory of the Lord will shine on you.
Darkness covers the earth.
Thick darkness spreads over the nations.
But I will rise and shine on you.
My glory will appear over you.
Nations will come to your light.
Kings will come to the brightness of your new day.
“Look up. Look all around you.
All your people are getting together to come back to you.
Your sons will come from far away.
Your daughters will be carried on the hip like little children.
Then your face will glow with joy.
Your heart will beat fast because you are so happy.
Wealth from across the ocean will be brought to you.
The riches of the nations will come to you.
Herds of young camels will cover your land.
They will come from Midian and Ephah.
They will also come from Sheba.
They’ll carry gold and incense.
And people will shout praises to me.
All of Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you.
The rams of Nebaioth will serve as your sacrifices.
I will accept them as offerings on my altar.
That is how I will bring honor to my glorious temple.
“Whose ships are these that sail along like clouds?
They fly like doves to their nests.
People from the islands are coming to me.
The ships of Tarshish are out in front.
They are bringing your children back from far away.
Your children are bringing their silver and gold with them.
They are coming to honor me.
I am the Lord your God.
I am the Holy One of Israel.
I have honored you.
“People from other lands will rebuild your walls.
Their kings will serve you.
When I was angry with you, I struck you.
But now I will show you my tender love.
Your gates will always stand open.
They will never be shut, day or night.
Then people can bring you the wealth of the nations.
Their kings will come along with them.
The nation or kingdom that will not serve you will be destroyed.
It will be completely wiped out.
“Lebanon’s glorious trees will be brought to you.
Its junipers, firs and cypress trees will be brought.
They will be used to make my temple beautiful.
And I will bring glory to the place where my throne is.
The children of those who crush you will come and bow down to you.
All those who hate you will kneel down at your feet.
Jerusalem, they will call you the City of the Lord.
They will name you Zion, the City of the Holy One of Israel.
“You have been deserted and hated.
No one even travels through you.
But I will make you into something to be proud of forever.
You will be a place of joy for all time to come.
You will get everything you need from kings and nations.
You will be like children who are nursing
at their mother’s breasts.
Then you will know that I am the one who saves you.
I am the Lord. I set you free.
I am the Mighty One of Jacob.
Instead of bronze I will bring you gold.
In place of iron I will give you silver.
Instead of wood I will bring you bronze.
In place of stones I will give you iron.
I will make peace govern you.
I will make godliness rule over you.
People will no longer harm one another in your land.
They will not wipe out or destroy anything inside your borders.
You will call your walls Salvation.
And you will name your gates Praise.
You will not need the light of the sun by day anymore.
The bright light of the moon will no longer have to shine on you.
I will be your light forever.
My glory will shine on you.
I am the Lord your God.
Your sun will never set again.
Your moon will never lose its light.
I will be your light forever.
Your days of sorrow will come to an end.
Then all your people will do what is right.
The land will belong to them forever.
They will be like a young tree I have planted.
My hands have created them.
They will show how glorious I am.
The smallest family among you will become a tribe.
The smallest tribe will become a mighty nation.
I am the Lord.
When it is the right time, I will act quickly.”
Isaiah 61:1-11
The Year When the Lord Sets His People Free
The Spirit of the Lord and King is on me.
The Lord has anointed me
to announce good news to poor people.
He has sent me to comfort
those whose hearts have been broken.
He has sent me to announce freedom
for those who have been captured.
He wants me to set prisoners free
from their dark cells.
He has sent me to announce the year
when he will set his people free.
He wants me to announce the day
when he will pay his enemies back.
Our God has sent me to comfort all those who are sad.
He wants me to help those in Zion who are filled with sorrow.
I will put beautiful crowns on their heads
in place of ashes.
I will anoint them with olive oil to give them joy
instead of sorrow.
I will give them a spirit of praise
in place of a spirit of sadness.
They will be like oak trees that are strong and straight.
The Lord himself will plant them in the land.
That will show how glorious he is.
They will rebuild the places that were destroyed long ago.
They will repair the buildings that have been broken down for many years.
They will make the destroyed cities like new again.
They have been broken down for a very long time.
Outsiders will serve you by taking care of your flocks.
People from other lands will work in your fields and vineyards.
You will be called priests of the Lord.
You will be named workers for our God.
You will enjoy the wealth of nations.
You will brag about getting their riches.
Instead of being put to shame
you will receive a double share of wealth.
Instead of being dishonored
you will be glad to be in your land.
You will receive a double share of riches there.
And you’ll be filled with joy that will last forever.
The Lord says, “I love those who do what is right.
I hate it when people steal and do other sinful things.
So I will be faithful to my people.
And I will bless them.
I will make a covenant with them
that will last forever.
Their children after them will be famous among the nations.
Their families will be praised by people everywhere.
All those who see them will agree
that I have blessed them.”
The people of Jerusalem will say,
“We take great delight in the Lord.
We are joyful because we belong to our God.
He has dressed us with salvation as if it were our clothes.
He has put robes of godliness on us.
We are like a groom who is dressed up for his wedding.
We are like a bride who decorates herself with her jewels.
The soil makes the young plant come up.
A garden causes seeds to grow.
In the same way, the Lord and King will make godliness grow.
And all the nations will praise him.”
Isaiah 62:1-12
The Lord Gives Zion a New Name
The Lord says, “For the good of Zion I will not keep silent.
For Jerusalem’s benefit I will not remain quiet.
I will not keep silent until what I will do for them
shines like the sunrise.
I will not remain quiet until they are saved
and shine like a blazing torch.
Jerusalem, the nations will see
that I have made everything right for you.
All their kings will see your glory.
You will be called by a new name.
I myself will give it to you.
You will be like a glorious crown in my strong hand.
You will be like a royal crown in my powerful hand.
People will not call you Deserted anymore.
They will no longer name your land Empty.
Instead, you will be called One the Lord Delights In.
Your land will be named Married One.
That’s because the Lord will take delight in you.
And your land will be married.
As a young man marries a young woman,
so your Builder will marry you.
As a groom is happy with his bride,
so your God will be full of joy over you.”
Jerusalem, I have stationed guards on your walls.
They must never be silent day or night.
You who call out to the Lord
must not give yourselves any rest.
And don’t give him any rest
until he makes Jerusalem secure.
Don’t give him any peace
until people all over the earth praise that city.
The Lord has made a promise.
He has lifted up his right hand and mighty arm.
He has promised, “I will never give your grain
to your enemies for food again.
Outsiders will never again drink the fresh wine
you have worked so hard for.
Instead, those who gather the grain will eat it themselves.
And they will praise me.
Those who gather grapes to make the wine will enjoy it.
They will drink it in the courtyards of my temple.”
Go out through your gates, people of Jerusalem! Go out!
Prepare the way for the rest of your people to return.
Build up the road! Build it up!
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner over the city
for the nations to see.
The Lord has announced a message
from one end of the earth to the other.
He has said, “Tell the people of Zion,
‘Look! Your Savior is coming!
He is bringing his people back as his reward.
He has won the battle over their enemies.’ ”
They will be called the Holy People.
They will be called the People the Lord Set Free.
And Jerusalem will be named the City the Lord Cares About.
It will be named the City No Longer Deserted.
