Behold,listen!The cryof the daughterof my peoplefrom a distantland:"Is the LORDnot in Zion?Is her Kingnot within her?" "Whyhave they provokedMe with their gravenimages,with foreignidols?"
Blessedbe the LORDfrom Zion,Who dwellsin Jerusalem.Praisethe LORD!
By the riversof Babylon,Therewe satdownand wept,When we rememberedZion.
The LORDwill reignforever,Your God,O Zion,to allgenerations.Praisethe LORD!
Let Israelbe gladin his Maker;Let the sonsof Zionrejoicein their King.
I hatethose who regardvainidols,But I trustin the LORD.
Alas,sinfulnation,Peopleweigheddownwith iniquity,Offspringof evildoers,Sonswho actcorruptly!They have abandonedthe LORD,They have despisedthe HolyOneof Israel,They have turnedawayfrom Him.
Cryaloudand shoutfor joy,O inhabitantof Zion,For greatin your midstis the HolyOneof Israel.
They are comingfrom a farcountry,From the farthesthorizons,The LORDand His instrumentsof indignation,To destroythe wholeland.
For the LORDis our judge,The LORDis our lawgiver,The LORDis our king;He will saveus--
Then Isaiahthe prophetcameto KingHezekiahand saidto him, "Whatdid thesemensay,and from wherehave they cometo you?" And Hezekiahsaid,"They have cometo me from a farcountry,from Babylon."
Awake,awake,Clotheyourselfin your strength,O Zion;Clotheyourselfin your beautifulgarments,O Jerusalem,the holycity;For the uncircumcisedand the uncleanWill nolongercomeinto you.
They are worthless,a workof mockery;In the timeof their punishmentthey will perish.
Have You completelyrejectedJudah?Orhave You loathedZion?Whyhave You strickenus so that we are beyondhealing?[We] waitedfor peace,but nothinggood[came]; And for a timeof healing,but behold,terror!
"Whyare You like a mandismayed,Like a mightymanwho cannotsave?Yet You are in our midst,O LORD,And we are calledby Your name;Do not forsakeus!"
Thussaysthe LORD,"Whatinjusticedid your fathersfindin Me, That they wentfarfrom Me And walkedafteremptinessand becameempty?
"For they prophesya lieto you in orderto removeyou farfrom your land;and I will driveyou out and you will perish.
"For therewill be a daywhen watchmenOn the hillsof Ephraimcallout, 'Arise,and let us goup [to] Zion,To the LORDour God.'"
"Indeedthe sonsof Israeland the sonsof Judahhave been doingonlyevilin My sightfrom their youth;for the sonsof Israelhave been onlyprovokingMe to angerby the workof their hands,"declaresthe LORD.
"Do they spiteMe?" declaresthe LORD."Is it not themselves [they spite], to their ownshame?"
"Harvestis past,summeris ended,And we are not saved."
"I will scatterthem among the nations,whomneitherthey northeir fathershave known;and I will sendthe swordafterthem untilI have annihilatedthem."
"[The city shall be] 18,000[cubits] roundabout;and the nameof the cityfrom [that] day[shall be], 'The LORDis there.'"
"And it will comeabout that whoevercallson the nameof the LORDWill be delivered;For on MountZionand in JerusalemThere will be those who escape,As the LORDhas said,Even among the survivorswhomthe LORDcalls.
And I will avengetheir bloodwhich I have not avenged,For the LORDdwellsin Zion.
"But on MountZionthere will be those whoescape,And it will be holy.And the houseof Jacobwill possesstheir possessions.
"Now,whydo you cryout loudly?Is therenokingamong you, Orhas your counselorperished,That agonyhas grippedyou like a woman in childbirth?
The LORDhas takenaway[His] judgmentsagainst you, He has clearedawayyour enemies.The Kingof Israel,the LORD,is in your midst;You will feardisasternomore.
"For behold,I will waveMy handoverthem so that they will be plunderfor their slaves.Then you will knowthat the LORDof hostshas sentMe.
and saying,"Men,whyare you doingthese things?We are alsomenof the same natureas you, and preach the gospelto you that you should turnfrom thesevain thingsto a livingGod,WHOMADETHE HEAVENAND THE EARTHAND THE SEAAND ALLTHAT IS IN THEM.
"Then My angerwill be kindledagainst them in that day,and I will forsakethem and hideMy facefrom them, and they will be consumed,and manyevilsand troubleswill comeupon them; so that they will sayin that day,Is it not becauseour Godis not amongus that theseevilshave comeupon us?'
"To the angelof the churchin Ephesuswrite:The One who holdsthe sevenstarsin His right hand,the One who walksamongthe sevengoldenlampstands,saysthis:
