Thanksgiving Expressed

12 Then you will say on that day,
(A)I will give thanks to You, Lord;
For although (B)You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away,
And You comfort me.
Behold, (C)God is my salvation,
I will (D)trust and not be afraid;
For (E)the Lord God is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”
Therefore you will joyously (F)draw water
From the (G)springs of salvation.
And on that day you will (H)say,
(I)Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name.
(J)Make known His deeds among the peoples;
[a]Make them remember that His name is exalted.”
(K)Praise the Lord in song, for He has done [b]glorious things;
Let this be known throughout the earth.
(L)Rejoice and shout for joy, you inhabitant of Zion,
For (M)great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Prophecies about Babylon

13 The (N)pronouncement concerning (O)Babylon which (P)Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:

(Q)Lift up a flag on the [c](R)bare hill,
Raise your voice to them,
(S)Wave the hand that they may (T)enter the doors of the nobles.
I have commanded My consecrated ones,
I have also called for My (U)warriors
Who boast in My eminence,
To execute My anger.
A (V)sound of a roar on the mountains,
Like that of many people!
A sound of an uproar of kingdoms,
Of nations gathered together!
The Lord of armies is mustering the army for battle.
They are coming from a distant country,
From the [d](W)farthest horizons,
The Lord and the weapons of His (X)indignation,
To (Y)destroy the whole land.

Judgment on the Day of the Lord

Wail, for the (Z)day of the Lord is near!
It will come as (AA)destruction from [e]the Almighty.
Therefore (AB)all hands will fall limp,
And every human (AC)heart will melt.
They will be (AD)terrified,
Pains and anguish will take hold of them;
They will (AE)writhe like a woman in labor,
They will look at one another in astonishment,
Their faces aflame.
Behold, (AF)the day of the Lord is coming,
Cruel, with fury and burning anger,
To make the land a desolation;
And He will exterminate its sinners from it.
10 For the (AG)stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not flash their light;
The (AH)sun will be dark when it rises
And the moon will not shed its light.
11 So I will (AI)punish the world for its evil
And the (AJ)wicked for their wrongdoing;
I will also put an end to the (AK)audacity of the proud
And humiliate the (AL)arrogance of the [f](AM)tyrants.
12 I will make mortal man (AN)scarcer than pure gold
And mankind than the (AO)gold of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will make the (AP)heavens tremble,
And (AQ)the earth will be shaken from its place
At the fury of the Lord of armies
In (AR)the day of His burning anger.
14 And it will be that, like a hunted gazelle,
Or like (AS)sheep with no one to gather them,
Each of them will turn to his own people,
And each of them will flee to his own land.
15 Anyone who is found will be (AT)thrust through,
And anyone who is captured will fall by the sword.
16 Their (AU)little ones also will be dashed to pieces
Before their eyes;
Their houses will be plundered
And their wives raped.

Babylon Will Fall to the Medes

17 Behold, I am going to (AV)stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not value silver or (AW)take pleasure in gold.
18 And their bows will [g]mow down the (AX)young men,
They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb,
Nor will their (AY)eye pity [h]children.
19 And (AZ)Babylon, the (BA)beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride,
Will be as when God (BB)overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 It will (BC)never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation;
Nor will the (BD)Arab pitch his tent there,
Nor will shepherds allow their flocks to lie down there.
21 But (BE)desert creatures will lie down there,
And their houses will be full of [i]owls;
Ostriches also will live there, and [j]shaggy goats will frolic there.
22 [k]Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers
And jackals in their luxurious (BF)palaces.
Her fateful time also [l]will soon come,
And her days will not be prolonged.

Israel’s Taunt against Babylon

14 When the Lord (BG)has compassion on Jacob and again (BH)chooses Israel, and settles them on their own land, then (BI)strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, and the (BJ)house of Israel will make them their own possession in the land of the Lord (BK)as male and female servants; and [m]they will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors.

And it will be on the day when the Lord gives you (BL)rest from your hardship, your turmoil, and from the harsh service in which you have been enslaved, that you will (BM)take up this [n]taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,

“How (BN)the oppressor has ceased,
And how the [o]onslaught has ceased!
The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers,
(BO)Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which [p]subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.
The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They (BP)break forth into shouts of joy.
Even the (BQ)juniper trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you have been laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.’
(BR)Sheol below is excited about you, to meet you when you come;
It stirs the [q]spirits of the dead for you, all the [r]leaders of the earth;
It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.
10 (BS)They will all respond and say to you,
‘Even you have become weak as we,
You have become like us.
11 Your (BT)pride and the music of your harps
Have been brought down to Sheol;
Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you
And worms are your covering.’
12 How you have (BU)fallen from heaven,
You [s](BV)star of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who defeated the nations!
13 But you said in your heart,
‘I will (BW)ascend to heaven;
I will (BX)raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
(BY)I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 Nevertheless you (BZ)will be brought down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you,
They will [t]closely examine you, saying,
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,
17 Who made the world like a (CA)wilderness
And overthrew its cities,
Who (CB)did not [u]allow his prisoners to go home?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
Each in his own [v]tomb.
19 But you have been (CC)hurled out of your tomb
Like [w]a rejected branch,
[x]Clothed with those killed who have been pierced with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the (CD)pit
Like a (CE)trampled corpse.
20 You will not be united with them in burial,
Because you have ruined your country,
You have killed your people.
May the (CF)descendants of evildoers never be mentioned.
21 Prepare a place of slaughter for his sons
Because of the (CG)wrongdoing of their fathers.
They must not arise and take possession of the earth,
And fill the surface of the world with cities.”

22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of armies, “and eliminate from Babylon (CH)name and survivors, (CI)offspring and descendants,” declares the Lord. 23 “I will also make it the property of the (CJ)hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it away with the broom of (CK)destruction,” declares the Lord of armies.

Judgment on Assyria

24 The Lord of armies has sworn, saying, “Certainly, (CL)just as I have intended, so it has happened, and just as I have planned, so it will stand, 25 to (CM)break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his (CN)yoke will be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulders. 26 This is the (CO)plan [y]devised against the entire earth; and this is the (CP)hand that is stretched out against all the nations. 27 For (CQ)the Lord of armies has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”

Judgment on Philistia

28 In the (CR)year that King Ahaz died, this (CS)pronouncement came:

29 “Do not rejoice, (CT)Philistia, all of you,
Because the rod that (CU)struck you is broken;
For from the serpent’s root a (CV)viper will come out,
And its fruit will be a (CW)winged serpent.
30 [z]Those who are most (CX)helpless will eat,
And the poor will lie down in security;
I will kill your root with (CY)famine,
And it will kill your survivors.
31 Wail, you (CZ)gate; cry, you city;
[aa]Melt away, (DA)Philistia, all of you!
For smoke comes from the (DB)north,
And (DC)there is no straggler in his ranks.
32 What answer will one give the (DD)messengers of the nation?
That (DE)the Lord has founded Zion,
And (DF)the poor of His people will take refuge in it.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 12:4 Or Proclaim to them that
  2. Isaiah 12:5 Or gloriously
  3. Isaiah 13:2 Or wind-swept mountain
  4. Isaiah 13:5 Lit end of heaven
  5. Isaiah 13:6 Heb Shaddai
  6. Isaiah 13:11 Or violent
  7. Isaiah 13:18 Lit dash in pieces
  8. Isaiah 13:18 Lit sons
  9. Isaiah 13:21 Or howling creatures
  10. Isaiah 13:21 Or goat demons
  11. Isaiah 13:22 Or howling creatures
  12. Isaiah 13:22 Lit is near to come
  13. Isaiah 14:2 Lit the captors will become their captives
  14. Isaiah 14:4 Or proverb
  15. Isaiah 14:4 As in DSS and ancient versions; MT uncertain
  16. Isaiah 14:6 Or ruled
  17. Isaiah 14:9 Or shades (Heb Repha’im)
  18. Isaiah 14:9 Lit male goats
  19. Isaiah 14:12 Heb Helel; i.e., shining one
  20. Isaiah 14:16 Lit show themselves attentive to
  21. Isaiah 14:17 Lit open
  22. Isaiah 14:18 Lit house
  23. Isaiah 14:19 Lit an abhorred branch
  24. Isaiah 14:19 Or As the clothing of those who are slain
  25. Isaiah 14:26 Lit planned
  26. Isaiah 14:30 Lit The firstborn of the helpless
  27. Isaiah 14:31 Or Become demoralized

Examine Yourselves

13 (A)This is the third time that I am coming to you. (B)On the [a]testimony of two or three witnesses every matter shall be confirmed. I have previously said when I was present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have (C)sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that (D)if I come again I will not (E)spare anyone, since you are (F)seeking proof of the (G)Christ who speaks in me, who is not weak toward you, but (H)mighty in you. For indeed He was (I)crucified because of weakness, yet He lives (J)because of the power of God. For we too are (K)weak [b]in Him, yet (L)we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.

(M)Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; (N)examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you [c](O)fail the test? But I expect that you will realize that we ourselves [d]do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong; not so that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, though we may [e]appear unapproved. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we ourselves are (P)weak, but you are strong; this we also pray for, [f]that you (Q)become mature. 10 For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present (R)I need not use (S)severity, in accordance with the (T)authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

11 (U)Finally, brothers and sisters, [g]rejoice, (V)mend your ways, be comforted, (W)be like-minded, (X)live in peace; and (Y)the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 (Z)Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 (AA)All the [h]saints greet you.

14 (AB)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the (AC)love of God, and the (AD)fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 13:1 Lit mouth
  2. 2 Corinthians 13:4 One early ms with Him
  3. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Lit are unapproved
  4. 2 Corinthians 13:6 Lit are not unapproved
  5. 2 Corinthians 13:7 Lit be as
  6. 2 Corinthians 13:9 Lit your maturation
  7. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Or farewell
  8. 2 Corinthians 13:13 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people

Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors.

For the music director; set to [a]Al-tashheth. A [b]Mikhtam of David, [c]when he fled from Saul in the cave.

57 Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,
For my soul (A)takes refuge in You;
And in the (B)shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction (C)passes by.
I will cry to God Most High,
To God who (D)accomplishes all things for me.
He will (E)send from heaven and save me;
He rebukes the one who [d](F)tramples upon me. Selah
God will send His [e](G)favor and His truth.

My soul is among (H)lions;
I must lie among those who devour,
Among sons of mankind whose (I)teeth are spears and arrows,
And their (J)tongue is a sharp sword.
(K)Be exalted above the heavens, God;
May Your glory be above all the earth.
They have prepared a (L)net for my steps;
My soul is (M)bowed down;
They (N)dug a pit before me;
They themselves have (O)fallen into the midst of it. Selah

(P)My (Q)heart is steadfast, God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
Awake, (R)my glory!
Awake, (S)harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
(T)I will praise You, Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the [f]nations.
10 For Your (U)goodness is great to the heavens
And Your [g]truth to the clouds.
11 (V)Be exalted above the heavens, God;
May Your glory be above all the earth.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57 Title Lit Do Not Destroy
  2. Psalm 57 Title Possibly, Epigrammatic Poem; or Atonement Psalm
  3. Psalm 57 Title 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
  4. Psalm 57:3 Or snaps at
  5. Psalm 57:3 Or faithfulness
  6. Psalm 57:9 Lit peoples
  7. Psalm 57:10 Or faithfulness

(A)Do not speak [a]to be heard by a fool,
For he will (B)despise the wisdom of your words.

10 Do not move the ancient boundary
Or (C)go into the fields of the fatherless,
11 For their (D)Redeemer is strong;
(E)He will plead their case against you.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:9 Lit in the ears of a

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