Isaiah 51

Salvation for Zion

1 Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,

you who seek the  Lord:

Look to the rock from which you were cut,

and to the quarry from which you were dug.

2 Look to Abraham your father,

and to Sarah who gave birth to you.

When I called him, he was only one;

I blessed him and made him many.  * 51:2 Gn 12:1; 15:5; Dt 1:10; Is 29:22; 41:8; 63:16; Ezk 33:24

3 For the Lord will comfort Zion;  * 51:3 Is 40:1

he will comfort all her waste places,

and he will make her wilderness like Eden,  * 51:3 Gn 2:8; Jl 2:3

and her desert like the garden of the  Lord.  * 51:3 Gn 13:10

Joy and gladness will be found in her,

thanksgiving and melodious song.

4 Pay attention to me, my people,

and listen to me, my nation;

for instruction will come from me,

and my justice for a light to the nations.  * 51:4 Is 42:6; 49:6

I will bring it about quickly.

5 My righteousness is near,  * 51:5 Is 46:13; 54:17

my salvation appears,

and my arms will bring justice to the nations.  * 51:5 Is 40:10

The coasts and islands will put their hope in me,

and they will look to my strength.  * 51:5 Lit arm

6 Look up to the heavens,

and look at the earth beneath;

for the heavens will vanish like smoke,

the earth will wear out like a garment,

and its inhabitants will die like gnats.  * 51:6 Or die in like manner,* 51:6 Ps 102:25–26; Is 34:4; Mt 24:35; Heb 1:10–12; 2Pt 3:10

But my salvation will last forever,  * 51:6 Is 45:17; 2Tm 2:10; Heb 5:9

and my righteousness will never be shattered.

7 Listen to me, you who know righteousness,

the people in whose heart is my instruction:  * 51:7 Ps 37:31

do not fear disgrace by men,

and do not be shattered by their taunts.

8 For moths will devour them like a garment,  * 51:8 Is 50:9

and worms will eat them like wool.  * 51:8 Is 14:11

But my righteousness will last forever,

and my salvation for all generations.

9 Wake up, wake up!

Arm of the  Lord, clothe yourself with strength.

Wake up as in days past,

as in generations long ago.

Wasn’t it you who hacked Rahab to pieces,  * 51:9 Jb 26:12; Ps 89:10; Is 30:7

who pierced the sea monster?  * 51:9 Ps 74:13; Is 27:1

10 Wasn’t it you who dried up the sea,  * 51:10 Is 11:15–16; 50:2; 63:11–12

the waters of the great deep,

who made the sea-bed into a road

for the redeemed to pass over?  * 51:10 Ex 15:13

11 And the ransomed of the  Lord will return  * 51:11 Is 35:10

and come to Zion with singing,

crowned with unending joy.

Joy and gladness will overtake them,

and sorrow and sighing will flee.

12 I — I am the one who comforts you.

Who are you that you should fear humans who die,  * 51:12 Ps 118:6; Is 2:22

or a son of man who is given up like grass?  * 51:12 Is 40:6–7; Jms 1:10–11; 1Pt 1:24

13 But you have forgotten the  Lord, your Maker,

who stretched out the heavens

and laid the foundations of the earth.  * 51:13 Is 44:24; 45:12; Am 9:6; Zch 12:1

You are in constant dread all day long

because of the fury of the oppressor,

who has set himself to destroy.

But where is the fury of the oppressor?  * 51:13 Is 49:26

14 The prisoner  * 51:14 Hb obscure is soon to be set free;

he will not die and go to the Pit,

and his food will not be lacking.

15 For I am the Lord your God

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar  * 51:15 Ps 107:25; Jr 31:35  —

his name is the Lord of Armies.

16 I have put my words in your mouth,  * 51:16 Is 59:21

and covered you in the shadow of my hand,  * 51:16 Ex 33:22; Is 49:2

in order to plant  * 51:16 Syr reads to stretch out the heavens,

to found the earth,

and to say to Zion, "You are my people."

17 Wake yourself, wake yourself up!

Stand up, Jerusalem,

you who have drunk the cup of his fury  * 51:17 Jb 21:20; Is 63:6; Jr 25:15; Mt 20:22; 26:39; Jn 18:1; Rv 14:10

from the Lord’s hand;

you who have drunk the goblet to the dregs —

the cup that causes people to stagger.

18 There is no one to guide her

among all the children she has raised;

there is no one to take hold of her hand

among all the offspring she has brought up.

19 These two things have happened to you:  * 51:19 Is 47:9

devastation and destruction,

famine and sword.

Who will grieve for you?

How can I  * 51:19 DSS, LXX, Syr, Vg read you? Who can comfort you?

20 Your children have fainted;

they lie at the head of every street

like an antelope in a net.

They are full of the  Lord’s fury,

the rebuke of your God.

21 So listen to this, suffering

and drunken one — but not with wine.  * 51:21 Is 29:9

22 This is what your Lord says —

the Lord, even your God,

who defends his people  * 51:22 Is 3:12–13; 49:25; Jr 50:34  —

"Look, I have removed from your hand

the cup that causes staggering;

that goblet, the cup of my fury.

You will never drink it again.

23 I will put it into the hands of your tormentors,

who said to you,  * 51:23 Is 49:26; Jr 25:15–17,26,28; Zch 12:2

‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’

You made your back like the ground,

and like a street for those who walk on it.