< Isaiah 26 >
1 In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city. He appoints salvation for walls and ramparts.
2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter: the one which keeps faith.
3 You will keep him in peace, in peace whose thoughts are fixed on you, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever; for in YAH, the LORD, is an everlasting Rock.
5 For he has brought down those who dwell on high, the lofty city. He lays it low to the ground. He casts it to the dust.
6 The feet of the poor tramples it down, the footsteps of the needy."
7 The way of the righteous is level. O Just One, you make the path of the righteous smooth.
8 Yes, in the path of your judgments, O LORD, have we waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.
9 With my soul have I desired you in the night. Yes, my spirit within me will seek you early, for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
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.
11 LORD, your hand is lifted up, yet they do not see; they see the zeal of the people, and are ashamed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.
12 LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have also worked all our works for us.
13 LORD our God, other lords besides you have had dominion over us, but by you only will we make mention of your name.
14 The dead shall not live, and the departed spirits shall not rise. Therefore have you visited and destroyed them, and caused all memory of them to perish.
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.
16 LORD, in trouble they sought you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.
17 Like 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.
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.
19 Your dead shall live; my dead bodies shall rise. Awake and shout for joy, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of the dawn, and the earth shall bring forth the departed spirits.
20 Come, my people, enter into your chambers, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.
21 For, look, the LORD comes forth 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.
