Isaiah 54

1 “Sing, barren, you who did not give birth! Break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says the LORD.

Give praise, you who are barren and unable to conceive. Sing praise and make a joyful noise, you who have not given birth. For many are the children of the desolate, more so than of her who has a husband, says the Lord.

2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.

Enlarge the place of your tent and extend the skins of your tabernacles, unsparingly. Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.

3 For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and settle in desolate cities.

For you shall extend to the right and to the left. And your offspring shall inherit the nations, and you shall inhabit the desolate cities.

4 “Do not be afraid, for you will not be ashamed. Do not be confounded, for you will not be disappointed. For you will forget the shame of your youth. You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.

Do not be afraid! For you will not be confounded, and you will not blush. And you will not be put to shame, because you shall forget the confusion of your youth, and you shall no longer remember the disgrace of your widowhood.

5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of Armies is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the God of the whole earth.

For the One who made you will rule over you. The Lord of hosts is his name. And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, will be called the God of all the earth.

6 For the LORD has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your God.

For the Lord has called you, like a woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and like a wife rejected in her youth, said your God.

7 “For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies.

For a brief moment, I have forsaken you, and with great pities, I will gather you.

8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.

In a moment of indignation, I have hidden my face from you, for a little while. But with everlasting mercy, I have taken pity on you, said your Redeemer, the Lord.

9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.

For me, it is just as in the days of Noah, to whom I swore that I would no longer bring in the waters of Noah over the earth. Thus have I sworn not to be angry with you, and not to rebuke you.

10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says the LORD who has mercy on you.

For the mountains will be moved, and the hills will tremble. But my mercy will not depart from you, and the covenant of my peace will not be shaken, said the Lord, who has compassion on you.

11 “You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.

O poor little ones, convulsed by the tempest, away from any consolation! Behold, I will set your stones in order, and I will lay your foundation with sapphires,

12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.

and I will make your ramparts out of jasper, and your gates out of sculpted stones, and all your borders out of desirable stones.

13 All your children will be taught by the LORD, and your children’s peace will be great.

All your children will be taught by the Lord. And great will be the peace of your children.

14 You will be established in righteousness. You will be far from oppression, for you will not be afraid, and far from terror, for it shall not come near you.

And you will be founded in justice. Depart far from oppression, for you will not be afraid. And depart from terror, for it will not approach you.

15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me. Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.

Behold, a settler will arrive, who was not with me, a certain new arrival will be joined to you.

16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy.

Behold, I created the smith who fans the coals of the fire and produces an object by his work, and I have created the slayer who destroys.

17 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the LORD’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says the LORD.

No object which has been formed to use against you will succeed. And every tongue that resists you in judgment, you shall judge. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and this is their justice with me, says the Lord.

A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark