A Promise of the Lord's Protection
54 (A) Sing and shout,
even though you have never
had children!
The Lord has promised that you
will have more children
than someone married
for a long time.
2 Make your tents larger!
Spread out the tent pegs;
fasten them firmly.
3 You and your descendants
will take over the land
of other nations.
You will settle in towns
that are now in ruins.
4 Don't be afraid or ashamed
and don't be discouraged.
You won't be disappointed.
Forget how sinful you were
when you were young;
stop feeling ashamed
for being left a widow.
5 The Lord All-Powerful,
the Holy God of Israel,
rules all the earth.
He is your Creator and husband,
and he will rescue you.
6 You were like a young wife,
brokenhearted and crying
because her husband
had divorced her.
But the Lord your God says,
“I am taking you back!
7 I rejected you for a while,
but with love and tenderness
I will embrace you again.
8 For a while, I turned away
in furious anger.
Now I will have mercy
and love you forever!
I, your protector and Lord,
make this promise.”
The Lord Promises Lasting Peace
9 (B) I once promised Noah that I
would never again destroy
the earth by a flood.
Now I have promised that I
will never again get angry
and punish you.
10 (C) Every mountain and hill
may disappear.
But I will always be kind
and merciful to you;
I won't break my agreement
to give your nation peace.
The New Jerusalem
11 (D)(E) Jerusalem, you are sad
and discouraged,
tossed around in a storm.
But I, the Lord,
will rebuild your city
with precious stones;[a]
for your foundation
I will use blue sapphires.
12 Your fortresses[b]
will be built of rubies,
your gates of jewels,
and your walls of gems.
13 (F) I will teach your children
and make them successful.
14 You will be built on fairness
with no fears of injustice;
every one of your worries
will be taken far from you.
15 I will never send anyone
to attack your city,
and you will make prisoners
of those who do attack.
16 Don't forget that I created
metalworkers who make weapons
over burning coals.
I also created armies
that can bring destruction.
17 Weapons made to attack you
won't be successful;
words spoken against you
won't hurt at all.
My servants, Jerusalem is yours!
I, the Lord, promise
to bless you with victory.
Footnotes
- 54.11 with precious stones: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 54.12 fortresses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Cross references
- 54.1 : Ga 4.27.
- 54.9 : Gn 9.8-17.
- 54.10 : Jdt 16.15.
- 54.11,12 : Rev 21.18-21.
- 54.11 : Tb 13.16,17.
- 54.13 : Jn 6.45.