The Lord’s Saving Power for Zion Lasts Forever
1The Lord says, “Listen to me, you who want to do what is right.
Pay attention, you who look to me.
Consider the rock you were cut out of.
Think about the rock pit you were dug from.
2Consider Abraham. He is the father of your people.
Think about Sarah. She is your mother.
When I chose Abraham, he did not have any children.
But I blessed him and gave him many of them.
3You can be sure that I will comfort Zion’s people.
I will look with loving concern on all their destroyed buildings.
I will make their deserts like Eden.
I will make their dry and empty land like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be there.
People will sing and give thanks to me.
4“Listen to me, my people.
Pay attention, my nation.
My instruction will go out to the nations.
I make everything right.
That will be a guiding light for them.
5The time for me to set you free is near.
I will soon save you.
My powerful arm will make everything right among the nations.
The islands will put their hope in me.
They will wait for my powerful arm to act.
6Look up toward the heavens.
Then look at the earth.
The heavens will vanish like smoke.
The earth will wear out like clothes.
Those who live there will die like flies.
But I will save you forever.
My saving power will never end.
7“Listen to me, you who know what is right.
Pay attention, you who have taken my instruction to heart.
Do not be afraid when mere human beings make fun of you.
Do not be terrified when they laugh at you.
8They will be like clothes that moths have eaten up.
They will be like wool that worms have chewed up.
But my saving power will last forever.
I will save you for all time to come.”
9Wake up, arm of the Lord! Wake up!
Dress yourself with strength as if it were your clothes!
Wake up, just as you did in the past.
Wake up, as you did long ago.
Didn’t you cut Rahab to pieces?
Didn’t you stab that sea monster to death?
10Didn’t you dry up the Red Sea?
Didn’t you dry up those deep waters?
You made a road on the bottom of that sea.
Then those who were set free went across.
11Those the Lord has saved will return to their land.
They will sing as they enter the city of Zion.
Joy that lasts forever will be like beautiful crowns on their heads.
They will be filled with gladness and joy.
Sorrow and sighing will be gone.
12The Lord says to his people,
“I comfort you because of who I am.
Why are you afraid of mere human beings?
They are like grass that dries up.
13How can you forget me? I made you.
I stretch out the heavens.
I lay the foundations of the earth.
Why are you terrified every day?
Is it because those who are angry with you are crushing you?
Is it because they are trying to destroy you?
Their anger can’t harm you anymore.
14You prisoners who are so afraid will soon be set free.
You will not die in your prison cells.
You will not go without food.
15I am the Lord your God.
I stir up the ocean. I make its waves roar.
My name is the Lord Who Rules Over All.
16I have put my words in your mouth.
I have kept you safe in the palm of my hand.
I set the heavens in place.
I laid the foundations of the earth.
I say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’ ”
The Cup of the Lord’s Great Anger
17Wake up, Jerusalem!
Wake up! Get up!
The Lord has handed you the cup of his great anger.
And you have drunk from it.
That cup makes people unsteady on their feet.
And you have drunk from it to the very last drop.
18Among all the children who were born to you
there was none to guide you.
Among all the children you brought up
there was none to lead you by the hand.
19Nothing but trouble has come to you.
You have been wiped out and destroyed.
And you have suffered hunger and war.
No one feels sorry for you.
No one can comfort you.
20Your children have fainted.
They lie helpless at every street corner.
They are like antelope that have been caught in a net.
They have felt the full force of the Lord’s great anger.
Jerusalem, your God had to warn them strongly.
21So listen to me, you suffering people of Jerusalem.
You have been made drunk, but not by drinking wine.
22Your Lord and King speaks.
He is your God.
He stands up for his people. He says,
“I have taken from you the cup of my great anger.
It made you unsteady on your feet.
But you will never drink
from that cup again.
23Instead, I will give it to those who made you suffer.
They said to you,
‘Fall down flat on the ground.
Then we can walk all over you.’
And that is exactly what you did.
You made your back like a street to be walked on.”
Befrielsen er på vej
1Herren siger: „Hør efter, I, som søger Herren og ønsker at gøre hans vilje. Tænk på det stenbrud, I stammer fra—den klippegrund, I blev hugget løs fra. 2Tænk på jeres forfar Abraham og på Sara, jeres stammor. Abraham havde ingen børn, da jeg kaldte ham. Men jeg velsignede ham og gjorde ham til et stort folk.”
3Herren vil velsigne det ødelagte Jerusalem og gøre ødemarken til en dejlig have. Der bliver fryd og glæde, lovsang og strengespil.
4Herren siger: „Hør efter, mit folk, lyt til mig, for jeg vil undervise jer. Min retfærdighed bringer lys til folkeslagene. 5Snart vil jeg befri jer, retfærdighedens sejr er nær. Jeg tager herredømmet over folkeslagene. Fjerne lande venter på, at jeg skal gribe ind. 6Se op mod himlen. Se ud over jorden. Himlen skal engang forsvinde som røg, jorden skal slides op som et stykke tøj, og menneskene på den skal dø som fluer. Men den frelse, jeg bringer, gælder for evigt, min retfærdighed vil aldrig få ende.
7Lyt til mig, I, som ved, hvad retfærdighed er, og som har min lov i jeres hjerter: Vær ikke bange for menneskers hån og spottende ord. 8For de er som gamle klude, der ædes op af møl, som uld, der fortæres af insekter. Men min retfærdighed varer evigt, min frelse gælder fra slægt til slægt.”
9Vågn op, Herre, og vis din magt. Rejs dig og ifør dig al din kraft som i ældgamle dage, da du fældede Egyptens uhyre og gennemborede Nilens drage. 10Var det ikke dig, der skabte en vej gennem havet, som dit befriede folk kunne gå på?
11Herrens befriede folk skal vende hjem. De går med jubel mod Zion. De fyldes med fryd og varig glæde. Lidelse og jammer er forbi.
12Herren siger: „Jeg er den, der trøster jer. Hvorfor er I da så bange for dødelige mennesker, der visner som græsset og snart er borte? 13Hvordan kan I glemme jeres Skaber, som udspændte himmelhvælvingen og grundlagde jorden. Hvorfor vil I stadig leve i frygt for jeres vrede undertrykkere? 14Snart skal I befries fra jeres lænker. I skal ikke dø i fangenskabet, og I kommer ikke til at sulte. 15Jeg er Herren, jeres Gud, den Almægtige. Jeg bestemmer over havets brusende bølger. 16Jeg er den, der har lagt mine ord i din mund og holdt min beskyttende hånd over dig. Det var mig, som udspændte himmelhvælvingen og grundlagde jorden. Og jeg er den, som siger til Israel: Du er mit folk!”
Lidelsens bæger
17Vågn op, Jerusalem, rejs dig op! Du har drukket nok af Herrens vredes bæger. Du har tømt det til sidste dråbe. 18Ingen af de sønner, du fødte, tog dig ved hånden og kom dig til hjælp. 19Katastrofen ramte dig i dobbelt mål, og der var ingen til at trøste dig. Landet blev ødelagt af krigen, og folket sultede. 20Dine børn lå hjælpeløse i gaderne, som antiloper fanget i en fælde. Det var Herrens vrede, som ramte dem. 21Men hør nu efter, du, som ligger hjælpeløs og er segnet om, dog ikke på grund af vin. 22Herren har omsorg for sit folk. Han siger: „Se, nu tager jeg lidelsens bæger ud af din hånd. Jeg vil ikke længere være vred på dig. 23I stedet rækker jeg det til dine plageånder, som tvang dig til at lægge dig på maven i støvet, så de kunne trampe hen over dig.”
