Isaiah 26

1 In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city. God appoints salvation for walls and bulwarks.

Some day, [people in] Judah will sing this song: Our city [of Jerusalem] is strong! Yahweh protects our city; He is like [MET] a wall that surrounds it.

2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.

Open the gates of the city for people who are righteous; allow people who faithfully [obey Yahweh] to enter the city.

3 You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you.

Yahweh, those who trust in you, those who firmly resolve to never doubt you, you will enable them to feel perfectly peaceful.

4 Trust in the LORD forever; for in the LORD, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock.

[So] always trust in Yahweh, because Yahweh, [our God], is forever [like] [MET] a huge rock [under which we are sheltered/protected/safe].

5 For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low. He lays it low even to the ground. He brings it even to the dust.

He humbles proud people and destroys cities whose people are arrogant. He causes those cities to collapse into the dust/dirt.

6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy.”

[When that happens], poor and oppressed people will trample on the ruins.

7 The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.

[But as for] righteous people, Yahweh, you do what is right; [it is as though] you cause the paths where they walk to be level and smooth.

8 Yes, in the way of your judgments, LORD, we have waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.

Yahweh, by obeying your laws we show that we trust you to help us; and what we desire is that you will be honored/praised/exalted.

9 With my soul I have desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me I will seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

[All] through the night I [SYN] desire to know you better, and each morning I still want to be with you. [Only] when you come to judge [and punish] people who live on the earth will they learn to do what is right.

10 Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness. In the land of uprightness he will deal wrongfully, and will not see the LORD’s majesty.

[But] your acting kindly toward wicked people does not cause them to do what is good. [Even] in places where people do what is right, the wicked people continue to do what is evil, and they do not realize that you, Yahweh, are great.

11 LORD, your hand is lifted up, yet they do not see; but they will see your zeal for the people and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.

Yahweh, [it is as though] your fist is raised up [ready to strike them], but they do not realize that. Show them that you are very eager to help your people. If your enemies would realize that, they would be ashamed; allow your fire to burn them up [because they are] your enemies.

12 LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also done all our work for us.

Yahweh, [we desire that] you will allow things to go well for us; everything that we have done is what you have enabled us to do.

13 LORD our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us, but we will only acknowledge your name.

Yahweh, our God, others have ruled over us, but you [MTY] are the only one whom we honor.

14 The dead shall not live. The departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore you have visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.

Those who ruled us are [now] gone; they are dead; their spirits have left this earth, and they will not become alive [again]. You punished those rulers and got rid of them, and people do not even remember them any more.

15 You have increased the nation, O LORD. You have increased the nation! You are glorified! You have enlarged all the borders of the land.

Yahweh, you have enabled our nation to become great; we are more in [now], and we have more land, [so we] thank/praise you.

16 LORD, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.

Yahweh, when we were distressed, we asked you [to help us]; when you disciplined/punished us, we were able only to whisper when we prayed to you.

17 Just as a woman with child, who draws near the time of her delivery, is in pain and cries out in her pangs, so we have been before you, LORD.

Like pregnant women writhe and cry out when they are giving birth, we suffered very much, too.

18 We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

We had severe pain, but nothing good resulted [MET] from it. We have not rescued our people [from being conquered by our enemies], and we have not given birth to children [who will rule the world correctly] (OR, not defeated the armies [that have attacked other nations].

19 Your dead shall live. Their dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.

But Yahweh’s people who have died will become alive [again], their corpses will become alive! Those whose bodies lie in graves will rise and shout joyfully! His light will be [like] dew that falls on his people who have died, who are [now] in the place where the dead people are, [and will cause them to become alive again].

20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.

But now, my people/fellow-citizens, go home and lock your doors! Hide for a short time, until [Yahweh] is no longer angry.

21 For, behold, the LORD comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also will disclose her blood, and will no longer cover her slain.

Listen to this: Yahweh will come from heaven to punish [all] the people on the earth for the sins that they have committed. People will be able to see [PRS] the (blood of those/the people) who have been murdered; their murderers will no longer be able to hide.