Isaiah 64

1 Oh, that Thou wouldest rend the heavens, that Thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at Thy presence,

O let the heavens be broken open and come down, so that the mountains may be shaking before you,

2 As when fire kindleth the brush-wood, and the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, that the nations might tremble at Thy presence,

As when fire puts the brushwood in flames, or as when water is boiling from the heat of the fire: to make your name feared by your haters, so that the nations may be shaking before you;

3 When Thou didst tremendous things which we looked not for — Oh that Thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at Thy presence! —

While you do acts of power for which we are not looking, and which have not come to the ears of men in the past.

4 And whereof from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside Thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for Him.

The ear has not had news of, or the eye seen, ... any God but you, working for the man who is waiting for him.

5 Thou didst take away him that joyfully worked righteousness, those that remembered Thee in Thy ways — behold, Thou wast wroth, and we sinned — upon them have we stayed of old, that we might be saved.

Will you not have mercy on him who takes pleasure in doing righteousness, even on those who keep in mind your ways? Truly you were angry, and we went on doing evil, and sinning against you in the past.

6 And we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

For we have all become like an unclean person, and all our good acts are like a dirty robe: and we have all become old like a dead leaf, and our sins, like the wind, take us away.

7 And there is none that calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of Thee; for Thou hast hid Thy face from us, and hast consumed us by means of our iniquities.

And there is no one who makes prayer to your name, or who is moved to keep true to you: for your face is veiled from us, and you have given us into the power of our sins.

8 But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter, and we all are the work of Thy hand.

But now, O Lord, you are our father; we are the earth, and you are our maker; and we are all the work of your hand.

9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever; behold, look, we beseech Thee, we are all Thy people.

Be not very angry, O Lord, and do not keep our sins in mind for ever: give ear to our prayer, for we are all your people.

10 Thy holy cities are become a wilderness, Zion is become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

Your holy towns have become a waste, Zion has become a waste, Jerusalem is a mass of broken walls.

11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised Thee, is burned with fire; and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers gave praise to you, is burned with fire; and all the things of our desire have come to destruction.

12 Wilt Thou refrain Thyself for these things, O LORD? Wilt Thou hold Thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

In view of all this, will you still do nothing, O Lord? will you keep quiet, and go on increasing our punishment?