Isaiah 64

1 “Oh, if you had split open the heavens and come down! The mountains would have shaken at your presence,

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

2 as when fire kindles the brushwood, or the fire makes water boil. Oh, that your name would be known by your adversaries, that the nations would tremble at your presence!

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,

3 Previously, when you did marvelous things that we had not expected, you came down, and the mountains trembled at your presence.

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

4 Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, nor eye seen any God besides you, who does things for him who waits for him.

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.

5 You come to help those who rejoice in doing what is right, those who call to mind your ways and obey them. You were angry when we sinned. In your ways we will always be rescued.

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.

6 For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag. We have all withered like leaves; our iniquities, like the wind, carry us away.

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.

7 There are none who calls on your name, who makes an effort to take hold of you. For you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away in the hand of our iniquities.

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.

8 Yet, Yahweh, you are our father; we are the clay. You are our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.

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.

9 Be not too angry, Yahweh, nor always call to mind against us our sins. Please look at us all, your people.

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

10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

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

11 Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised you, has been destroyed by fire, and all that was so dear is in ruins.

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

12 How can you still hold back, Yahweh? How can you remain silent and continue to humiliate us?”

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