Cheer for Downtrodden Zion
1 Awake, awake,
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city;
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Will no longer come into you. [Rev 21:27]
2 Shake yourself from the dust, arise,
O captive Jerusalem;
Rid yourself of the chains around your neck,
O captive Daughter of Zion.
3 For the Lord says this, "You were sold for nothing and you will be redeemed, but not with money." 4 For the Lord God says this, "My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there; and [many years later Sennacherib] the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5 But now, what do I have here," declares the Lord, "seeing that My people have been taken away without reason? Those who rule over them howl [with taunting and mockery of salvation]," declares the Lord, "and My name is continually blasphemed all day long. [Rom 2:24] 6 Therefore My people shall know My Name and what it means. Therefore in that day I am the One who is speaking, ‘Here I am.’ " [Ex 3:13, 14]
7 How beautiful and delightful on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace,
Who brings good news of good [things],
Who announces salvation,
Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" [Acts 10:36; Rom 10:15; Eph 6:14-16]
8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices,
Together they shout for joy;
For they will see face to face
The return of the Lord to Zion.
9 Break forth, shout joyfully together,
You ruins of Jerusalem;
For the Lord has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has bared His holy arm (His infinite power)
Before the eyes of all the nations [revealing Himself as the One by Whom Israel is redeemed from captivity],
That all the ends of the earth may see
The salvation of our God. [Luke 2:29-32; 3:6]
11 Depart, depart, go out from there (the lands of exile),
Touch no unclean thing;
Go out of the midst of her (Babylon), purify yourselves,
You who carry the articles of the Lord [on your journey from there]. [2 Cor 6:16, 17]
12 For you will not go out in a hurry [as when you left Egypt],
Nor will you go in flight [fleeing, as you did from the Egyptians];
For the Lord will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
The Exalted Servant
13 Indeed, My Servant (the Messiah) will act wisely and prosper;
He will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted.
14 Just as many were astonished and appalled at you, My people,
So His appearance was marred more than any man
And His form [marred] more than the sons of men.
15 So He will sprinkle many nations [with His blood, providing salvation],
Kings will shut their mouths because of Him;
For what they had not been told they will see,
And what they had not heard they will understand. [Rom 15:21]