What Are You Afraid of—or Who?

12-16 “I, I’m the One comforting you.
    What are you afraid of—or who?
Some man or woman who’ll soon be dead?
    Some poor wretch destined for dust?
You’ve forgotten me, God, who made you,
    who unfurled the skies, who founded the earth.
And here you are, quaking like an aspen
    before the tantrums of a tyrant
    who thinks he can kick down the world.
But what will come of the tantrums?
    The victims will be released before you know it.
They’re not going to die.
    They’re not even going to go hungry.
For I am God, your very own God,
    who stirs up the sea and whips up the waves,
    named God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
I teach you how to talk, word by word,
    and personally watch over you,
Even while I’m unfurling the skies,
    setting earth on solid foundations,
    and greeting Zion: ‘Welcome, my people!’”

17-20 So wake up! Rub the sleep from your eyes!
    Up on your feet, Jerusalem!
You’ve drunk the cup God handed you,
    the strong drink of his anger.
You drank it down to the last drop,
    staggered and collapsed, dead-drunk.
And nobody to help you home,
    no one among your friends or children
    to take you by the hand and put you in bed.
You’ve been hit with a double dose of trouble
    —does anyone care?
Assault and battery, hunger and death
    —will anyone comfort?
Your sons and daughters have passed out,
    strewn in the streets like stunned rabbits,
Sleeping off the strong drink of God’s anger,
    the rage of your God.

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16 I have put my words in your mouth(A)
    and covered you with the shadow of my hand(B)
I who set the heavens in place,
    who laid the foundations of the earth,(C)
    and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.(D)’”

The Cup of the Lord’s Wrath

17 Awake, awake!(E)
    Rise up, Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord
    the cup(F) of his wrath,(G)
you who have drained to its dregs(H)
    the goblet that makes people stagger.(I)
18 Among all the children(J) she bore
    there was none to guide her;(K)
among all the children she reared
    there was none to take her by the hand.(L)
19 These double calamities(M) have come upon you—
    who can comfort you?(N)
ruin and destruction,(O) famine(P) and sword(Q)
    who can[a] console you?
20 Your children have fainted;
    they lie at every street corner,(R)
    like antelope caught in a net.(S)
They are filled with the wrath(T) of the Lord,
    with the rebuke(U) of your God.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 51:19 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text / how can I