Isaiah 64 - Modern English Version

¹ Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might shake at Your presence,

² as when the melting fire burns, as the fire causes the waters to boil, to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!

³ When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down; the mountains quaked at Your presence.

⁴ For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by ear, neither has the eye seen a God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.

⁵ You meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, those who remember You in Your ways. Behold, You were angry, for we had sinned; in our sins we remained a long time, and shall we be saved?

⁶ But we all are as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags; and we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

⁷ There is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs up himself to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have consumed us because of our iniquities.

⁸ But now, O  Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; and we all are the work of Your hand.

⁹ Do not be wrathful beyond measure, O  Lord, nor remember iniquity forever. Behold, look upon us, we pray, for we all are Your people.

¹⁰ Your holy cities are a wilderness; Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

¹¹ Our holy and beautiful house where our fathers praised You is burned up with fire; and all our precious things are laid waste.

¹² Will You refrain Yourself from these things, O  Lord? Will You hold Your peace and afflict us beyond measure?