Praise to God

25 O Lord, You are my God.
(A)I will exalt You,
I will praise Your name,
(B)For You have done wonderful things;
(C)Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
For You have made (D)a city a ruin,
A fortified city a ruin,
A palace of foreigners to be a city no more;
It will never be rebuilt.
Therefore the strong people will (E)glorify You;
The city of the [a]terrible nations will fear You.
For You have been a strength to the poor,
A strength to the needy in his distress,
(F)A refuge from the storm,
A shade from the heat;
For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
You will reduce the noise of aliens,
As heat in a dry place;
As heat in the shadow of a cloud,
The song of the terrible ones will be [b]diminished.

And in (G)this mountain
(H)The Lord of hosts will make for (I)all people
A feast of [c]choice pieces,
A feast of [d]wines on the lees,
Of fat things full of marrow,
Of well-refined wines on the lees.
And He will destroy on this mountain
The surface of the covering cast over all people,
And (J)the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will (K)swallow up death forever,
And the Lord God will (L)wipe away tears from all faces;
The rebuke of His people
He will take away from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.

And it will be said in that day:
“Behold, this is our God;
(M)We have waited for Him, and He will save us.
This is the Lord;
We have waited for Him;
(N)We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

10 For on this mountain the hand of the Lord will rest,
And (O)Moab shall be trampled down under Him,
As straw is trampled down for the refuse heap.
11 And He will spread out His hands in their midst
As a swimmer reaches out to swim,
And He will bring down their (P)pride
Together with the trickery of their hands.
12 The (Q)fortress of the high fort of your walls
He will bring down, lay low,
And bring to the ground, down to the dust.

A Song of Salvation

26 In (R)that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city;
(S)God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.
(T)Open the gates,
That the righteous nation which [e]keeps the truth may enter in.
You will keep him in perfect (U)peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
(V)For in Yah, the Lord, is [f]everlasting strength.
For He brings [g]down those who dwell on high,
(W)The lofty city;
He lays it low,
He lays it low to the ground,
He brings it down to the dust.
The foot shall [h]tread it down—
The feet of the poor
And the steps of the needy.”

The way of the just is uprightness;
(X)O Most Upright,
You [i]weigh the path of the just.
Yes, (Y)in the way of Your judgments,
O Lord, we have (Z)waited for You;
The desire of our soul is for Your name
And for the remembrance of You.
(AA)With my soul I have desired You in the night,
Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

10 (AB)Let grace be shown to the wicked,
Yet he will not learn righteousness;
In (AC)the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly,
And will not behold the majesty of the Lord.
11 Lord, when Your hand is lifted up, (AD)they will not see.
But they will see and be ashamed
For [j]their envy of people;
Yes, the fire of Your enemies shall devour them.

12 Lord, You will establish peace for us,
For You have also done all our works [k]in us.
13 O Lord our God, (AE)masters besides You
Have had dominion over us;
But by You only we make mention of Your name.
14 They are dead, they will not live;
They are deceased, they will not rise.
Therefore You have punished and destroyed them,
And made all their memory to (AF)perish.
15 You have increased the nation, O Lord,
You have (AG)increased the nation;
You are glorified;
You have expanded all the [l]borders of the land.

16 Lord, (AH)in trouble they have visited You,
They poured out a prayer when Your chastening was upon them.
17 As (AI)a woman with child
Is in pain and cries out in her [m]pangs,
When she draws near the time of her delivery,
So have we been in Your sight, O Lord.
18 We have been with child, we have been in pain;
We have, as it were, [n]brought forth wind;
We have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth,
Nor have (AJ)the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19 (AK)Your dead shall live;
Together with [o]my dead body they shall arise.
(AL)Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;
For your dew is like the dew of herbs,
And the earth shall cast out the dead.

Take Refuge from the Coming Judgment

20 Come, my people, (AM)enter your chambers,
And shut your doors behind you;
Hide yourself, as it were, (AN)for a little moment,
Until the indignation is past.
21 For behold, the Lord (AO)comes out of His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
The earth will also disclose her [p]blood,
And will no more cover her slain.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 25:3 terrifying
  2. Isaiah 25:5 humbled
  3. Isaiah 25:6 Lit. fat things
  4. Isaiah 25:6 wines matured on the sediment
  5. Isaiah 26:2 Or remains faithful
  6. Isaiah 26:4 Or Rock of Ages
  7. Isaiah 26:5 low
  8. Isaiah 26:6 trample
  9. Isaiah 26:7 Or make level
  10. Isaiah 26:11 Or Your zeal for the people
  11. Isaiah 26:12 Or for us
  12. Isaiah 26:15 Or ends
  13. Isaiah 26:17 sharp pains
  14. Isaiah 26:18 given birth to
  15. Isaiah 26:19 So with MT, Vg.; Syr., Tg. their dead bodies; LXX those in the tombs
  16. Isaiah 26:21 Or bloodshed

Praise to the Lord

25 Lord, you are my God;(A)
    I will exalt you and praise your name,(B)
for in perfect faithfulness(C)
    you have done wonderful things,(D)
    things planned(E) long ago.
You have made the city a heap of rubble,(F)
    the fortified(G) town a ruin,(H)
the foreigners’ stronghold(I) a city no more;
    it will never be rebuilt.(J)
Therefore strong peoples will honor you;(K)
    cities of ruthless(L) nations will revere you.
You have been a refuge(M) for the poor,(N)
    a refuge for the needy(O) in their distress,
a shelter from the storm(P)
    and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless(Q)
    is like a storm driving against a wall
    and like the heat of the desert.
You silence(R) the uproar of foreigners;(S)
    as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
    so the song of the ruthless(T) is stilled.

On this mountain(U) the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast(V) of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.(W)
On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud(X) that enfolds all peoples,(Y)
the sheet that covers all nations;
    he will swallow up death(Z) forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears(AA)
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace(AB)
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.(AC)

In that day(AD) they will say,

“Surely this is our God;(AE)
    we trusted(AF) in him, and he saved(AG) us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
    let us rejoice(AH) and be glad in his salvation.”(AI)

10 The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain;(AJ)
    but Moab(AK) will be trampled in their land
    as straw is trampled down in the manure.
11 They will stretch out their hands in it,
    as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim.
God will bring down(AL) their pride(AM)
    despite the cleverness[a] of their hands.
12 He will bring down your high fortified walls(AN)
    and lay them low;(AO)
he will bring them down to the ground,
    to the very dust.

A Song of Praise

26 In that day(AP) this song will be sung(AQ) in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;(AR)
    God makes salvation
    its walls(AS) and ramparts.(AT)
Open the gates(AU)
    that the righteous(AV) nation may enter,
    the nation that keeps faith.
You will keep in perfect peace(AW)
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust(AX) in you.
Trust(AY) in the Lord forever,(AZ)
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock(BA) eternal.
He humbles those who dwell on high,
    he lays the lofty city low;
he levels it to the ground(BB)
    and casts it down to the dust.(BC)
Feet trample(BD) it down—
    the feet of the oppressed,(BE)
    the footsteps of the poor.(BF)

The path of the righteous is level;(BG)
    you, the Upright One,(BH) make the way of the righteous smooth.(BI)
Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws,[b](BJ)
    we wait(BK) for you;
your name(BL) and renown
    are the desire of our hearts.
My soul yearns for you in the night;(BM)
    in the morning my spirit longs(BN) for you.
When your judgments(BO) come upon the earth,
    the people of the world learn righteousness.(BP)
10 But when grace is shown to the wicked,(BQ)
    they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil(BR)
    and do not regard(BS) the majesty of the Lord.
11 Lord, your hand is lifted high,(BT)
    but they do not see(BU) it.
Let them see your zeal(BV) for your people and be put to shame;(BW)
    let the fire(BX) reserved for your enemies consume them.

12 Lord, you establish peace(BY) for us;
    all that we have accomplished you have done(BZ) for us.
13 Lord our God, other lords(CA) besides you have ruled over us,
    but your name(CB) alone do we honor.(CC)
14 They are now dead,(CD) they live no more;
    their spirits(CE) do not rise.
You punished them and brought them to ruin;(CF)
    you wiped out all memory of them.(CG)
15 You have enlarged the nation, Lord;
    you have enlarged the nation.(CH)
You have gained glory for yourself;
    you have extended all the borders(CI) of the land.

16 Lord, they came to you in their distress;(CJ)
    when you disciplined(CK) them,
    they could barely whisper(CL) a prayer.[c]
17 As a pregnant woman about to give birth(CM)
    writhes and cries out in her pain,
    so were we in your presence, Lord.
18 We were with child, we writhed in labor,
    but we gave birth(CN) to wind.
We have not brought salvation(CO) to the earth,
    and the people of the world have not come to life.(CP)

19 But your dead(CQ) will live, Lord;
    their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust(CR)
    wake up and shout for joy—
your dew(CS) is like the dew of the morning;
    the earth will give birth to her dead.(CT)

20 Go, my people, enter your rooms
    and shut the doors(CU) behind you;
hide(CV) yourselves for a little while
    until his wrath(CW) has passed by.(CX)
21 See, the Lord is coming(CY) out of his dwelling(CZ)
    to punish(DA) the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will disclose the blood(DB) shed on it;
    the earth will conceal its slain no longer.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 25:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Isaiah 26:8 Or judgments
  3. Isaiah 26:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
24 They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commands and (A)raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
(B)Their soul melts because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And [a]are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 (C)He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
31 (D)Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also (E)in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:27 Lit. all their wisdom is swallowed up

23 Some went out on the sea(A) in ships;(B)
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,(C)
    his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke(D) and stirred up a tempest(E)
    that lifted high the waves.(F)
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
    in their peril(G) their courage melted(H) away.
27 They reeled(I) and staggered like drunkards;
    they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried(J) out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he brought them out of their distress.(K)
29 He stilled the storm(L) to a whisper;
    the waves(M) of the sea[a] were hushed.(N)
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them(O) to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks(P) to the Lord for his unfailing love(Q)
    and his wonderful deeds(R) for mankind.
32 Let them exalt(S) him in the assembly(T) of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:29 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / their waves

18 (A)A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

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18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
    is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.(A)
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
    is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.

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Administering the Gift

Now concerning (A)the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a (B)year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. (C)Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this [a]confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to [b]exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a [c]grudging obligation.

The Cheerful Giver

(D)But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [d]bountifully will also reap [e]bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, (E)not grudgingly or of [f]necessity; for (F)God loves a cheerful giver. (G)And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written:

(H)“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”

10 Now [g]may He who (I)supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, [h]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your (J)righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, (K)which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only (L)supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they (M)glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal (N)sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding (O)grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God (P)for His indescribable gift!

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:4 NU confidence.
  2. 2 Corinthians 9:5 encourage
  3. 2 Corinthians 9:5 Lit. covetousness
  4. 2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
  5. 2 Corinthians 9:6 with blessings
  6. 2 Corinthians 9:7 compulsion
  7. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NU omits may
  8. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NU will supply

There is no need(A) for me to write to you about this service(B) to the Lord’s people.(C) For I know your eagerness to help,(D) and I have been boasting(E) about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year(F) you in Achaia(G) were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. But I am sending the brothers(H) in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.(I) For if any Macedonians(J) come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers(K) to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift,(L) not as one grudgingly given.(M)

Generosity Encouraged

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.(N) Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,(O) not reluctantly or under compulsion,(P) for God loves a cheerful giver.(Q) And God is able(R) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,(S) you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts(T) to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”[a](U)

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food(V) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.(W) 11 You will be enriched(X) in every way so that you can be generous(Y) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.(Z)

12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs(AA) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.(AB) 13 Because of the service(AC) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God(AD) for the obedience that accompanies your confession(AE) of the gospel of Christ,(AF) and for your generosity(AG) in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God(AH) for his indescribable gift!(AI)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9