"I have seenhis ways,but I will healhim; I will leadhim and restorecomfortto him and to his mourners,
He makes me liedownin greenpastures;He leadsme besidequietwaters.
Restoreto me the joyof Your salvationAnd sustainme with a willingspirit.
When my anxiousthoughtsmultiplywithinme, Your consolationsdelightmy soul.
For whoeveris joinedwith allthe living,thereis hope;surelya livedogis betterthana deadlion.
"Comenow,and let us reasontogether," Saysthe LORD,"Thoughyour sinsare as scarlet,They will be as whiteas snow;Thoughthey are redlike crimson,They will be like wool.
Then you will sayon that day,"I will givethanksto You, O LORD;For although You were angrywith me, Your angeris turnedaway,And You comfortme.
The LORDwill strikeEgypt,strikingbut healing;so they will returnto the LORD,and He will respondto them and will healthem.
Thereforethe LORDlongsto be graciousto you, And thereforeHe waits on highto havecompassionon you. For the LORDis a Godof justice;How blessedare allthose who longfor Him.
The lightof the moonwill be as the lightof the sun,and the lightof the sunwill be seventimes[brighter], like the lightof sevendays,on the daythe LORDbindsup the fractureof His peopleand healsthe bruiseHe has inflicted.
"They will not hungeror thirst,Norwill the scorchingheator sunstrikethem down;For He who hascompassionon them will leadthem And will guidethem to springsof water.
"I, even I, am He who comfortsyou. Whoare you that you are afraidof manwho diesAnd of the sonof manwho is madelike grass,
But you will not goout in haste,Norwill you goas fugitives;For the LORDwill gobeforeyou, And the Godof Israel[will be] your rearguard.
But He was piercedthroughfor our transgressions,He was crushedfor our iniquities;The chasteningfor our well-being[fell] upon Him, And by His scourgingwe are healed.
For thussaysthe highand exaltedOne Who livesforever,whose nameis Holy,"I dwell[on] a highand holyplace, And [also] with the contriteand lowlyof spiritIn order to revivethe spiritof the lowlyAnd to revivethe heartof the contrite.
"And the LORDwill continuallyguideyou, And satisfyyour desirein scorchedplaces,And givestrengthto your bones;And you will be like a wateredgarden,And like a springof waterwhosewatersdo not fail.
But ifyou will not listento it, My soulwill sobin secretfor [such] pride;And my eyeswill bitterlyweepAnd flowdownwith tears,Becausethe flockof the LORDhas been takencaptive.
"Return,O faithlesssons,I will healyour faithlessness.""Behold,we cometo You; For You are the LORDour God.
For I will restoreyou to healthAnd I will healyou of your wounds,'declaresthe LORD,'Becausethey have calledyou an outcast,saying: "It is Zion;noonecaresfor her."'
The LORDappearedto him from afar,[saying], "I have lovedyou with an everlastinglove;ThereforeI have drawnyou with lovingkindness.
Behold,I will bringto it healthand healing,and I will healthem; and I will revealto them an abundanceof peaceand truth.
The LORDansweredthe angelwho was speakingwith me with graciouswords,comfortingwords.
"Sohe gotup and cameto his father.But while he was stilla long wayoff,his fathersawhim and felt compassion[for him], and ranand embracedhim and kissedhim.
The Lawcamein sothat the transgressionwould increase;but wheresinincreased,graceabounded all the more,
for the Lambin the centerof the thronewill be their shepherd,and will guidethem to springsof the waterof life;and Godwill wipeeverytearfrom their eyes."
