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26 A song of the faithful, wherein is declared, in what consisteth the salvation of the Church, and wherein they ought to trust.

In that day shall [a]this song be sung in the land of Judah, We have a strong city: [b]salvation shall God set for walls and bulwarks.

[c]Open ye the gates that the righteous nation, which keepeth the truth, may enter in.

By an assured [d]purpose wilt thou preserve perfect peace, because they trusted in thee.

Trust in the Lord forever: for in the Lord God is strength forevermore.

For he will bring down them that dwell on high: [e]the high city he will abase: even unto the ground will he cast it down, and bring it unto dust.

The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the [f]poor, and the steps of the needy.

The way of the just is righteousness: thou wilt make equal the righteous path of the just.

Also we, O Lord, have waited for thee in the way of thy [g]judgments: the desire of our soul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee.

With my soul have I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit within me will I seek thee in the morning: for seeing thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learn [h]righteousness.

10 Let mercy [i]be showed to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he do wickedly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

11 O Lord, they will not behold thine high hand: but they shall see it, and be confounded with [j]the zeal of the people, and the fire of thine [k]enemies shall devour them.

12 Lord unto us thou wilt ordain peace: for thou also hast wrought all our works for us.

13 O Lord our God, other [l]lords beside thee, have ruled us, but we will remember thee only, and thy Name.

14 The [m]dead shall not live, neither shall the dead arise, because thou hast visited and scattered them, and destroyed all their memory.

15 Thou hast increased [n]the nation, O Lord: thou hast increased the nation: thou art made glorious, thou hast enlarged all the coasts of the earth.

16 Lord, in trouble have they [o]visited thee: they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near to the travail, is in sorrow, and crieth in her pains, so have we been in thy [p]sight, O Lord.

18 We have conceived, we have born in pain, as though we should have brought forth [q]wind: there was no help in the earth, neither did the inhabitants of [r]the world fall.

19 [s]Thy dead men shall live: even with my body shall they rise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy [t]dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

20 Come, my people: [u]enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors after thee: hide thyself for a very little while, until the indignation pass over.

21 For lo, the Lord cometh out of his place, to visit the iniquity of the inhabitants of the earth upon them: and the earth shall disclose her [v]blood, and shall no more hide her slain.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 26:1 This song was made to comfort the faithful when their captivity should come, assuring them also of their deliverance, for the which they should sing this song.
  2. Isaiah 26:1 God’s protection and defense shall be sufficient for us.
  3. Isaiah 26:2 He assureth the godly to return after the captivity to Jerusalem.
  4. Isaiah 26:3 Thou hast decreed so, and thy purpose cannot be changed.
  5. Isaiah 26:5 There is no power so high that can let God, when he will deliver his.
  6. Isaiah 26:6 God will set the poor afflicted over the power of the wicked.
  7. Isaiah 26:8 We have constantly aboade in the adversities wherewith thou had afflicted us.
  8. Isaiah 26:9 Meaning, that by afflictions men shall learn to fear God.
  9. Isaiah 26:10 The wicked though God show them evident signs of his grace, shall be never the better.
  10. Isaiah 26:11 Through envy and indignation against thy people.
  11. Isaiah 26:11 The fire and vengeance, wherewith thou dost destroy thine enemies.
  12. Isaiah 26:13 The Babylonians, which have not governed according to thy word.
  13. Isaiah 26:14 Meaning, that the reprobate, even in this life shall have the beginning of everlasting death.
  14. Isaiah 26:15 To wit, the company of the faithful by the calling of the Gentiles.
  15. Isaiah 26:16 That is, the faithful by the rods were moved to pray unto thee for deliverance.
  16. Isaiah 26:17 To wit, in extreme sorrow.
  17. Isaiah 26:18 Our sorrows had none end, neither did we enjoy the comfort that we looked for.
  18. Isaiah 26:18 The wicked and men without religion were not destroyed.
  19. Isaiah 26:19 He comforteth the faithful in their afflictions, showing them that even in death they shall have life: and that they should most certainly rise to glory, the contrary should come to the wicked, as verse 14.
  20. Isaiah 26:19 As herbs dead in winter flourisheth again by the rain in the springtime: so they that lie in the dust, shall rise up to joy, when they feel the dew of God’s grace.
  21. Isaiah 26:20 He exhorteth the faithful to be patient in their afflictions, and to wait upon God’s work.
  22. Isaiah 26:21 The earth shall vomit and cast out the innocent blood, which it hath drunk, that it may cry for vengeance against the wicked.

You Keep Him in Perfect Peace

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

“We have a strong city;
    he sets up (B)salvation
    as walls and bulwarks.
(C)Open the gates,
    that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
(D)You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
(E)For he has humbled
    the inhabitants of the height,
    the lofty city.
He lays it low, lays it low to the ground,
    casts it to the dust.
The foot tramples it,
    the feet of (F)the poor,
    the steps of (G)the needy.”

The path of the righteous is level;
    (H)you make level the way of the righteous.
In the path of your judgments,
    O Lord, we wait for you;
(I)your name and (J)remembrance
    are the desire of our soul.
My soul yearns for you in the night;
    my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
(K)For when your judgments are in the earth,
    the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10 (L)If favor is shown to the wicked,
    he does not learn righteousness;
in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly
    and does not see the majesty of the Lord.
11 O Lord, (M)your hand is lifted up,
    but (N)they do not see it.
Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed.
    Let (O)the fire for your adversaries consume them.
12 O Lord, you will ordain (P)peace for us,
    for you have indeed done for us all our works.
13 O Lord our God,
    (Q)other lords besides you have ruled over us,
    (R)but your name alone we bring to remembrance.
14 They are dead, they will not live;
    they are shades, they will not arise;
to that end you have visited them with destruction
    and wiped out all remembrance of them.
15 (S)But you have increased the nation, O Lord,
    you have increased the nation; you are glorified;
    (T)you have enlarged all the borders of the land.

16 O Lord, (U)in distress they sought you;
    they poured out a whispered prayer
    when your discipline was upon them.
17 (V)Like a pregnant woman
    who writhes and cries out in her pangs
    when she is near to giving birth,
so were we because of you, O Lord;
18     (W)we were pregnant, we writhed,
    but we have given birth to wind.
We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth,
    and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.
19 (X)Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
    You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For (Y)your dew is a dew of light,
    and the earth will give birth to the dead.

20 Come, my people, enter your chambers,
    and shut your doors behind you;
hide yourselves (Z)for a little while
    until the fury has passed by.
21 (AA)For behold, the Lord is coming out from his place
    to punish the inhabitants of (AB)the earth for their iniquity,
and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it,
    and will no more cover its slain.

26 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.

The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.

The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.

11 Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

12 Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

13 O Lord our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

15 Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

16 Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord.

18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

21 For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

God Will Give His People Victory

26 A day is coming when the people will sing this song in the land of Judah:

Our city is strong!
God himself defends its walls!
Open the city gates
    and let the faithful nation enter,
    the nation whose people do what is right.
You, Lord, give perfect peace
    to those who keep their purpose firm
    and put their trust in you.
Trust in the Lord forever;
    he will always protect us.
He has humbled those who were proud;
    he destroyed the strong city they lived in,
    and sent its walls crashing into the dust.
Those who were oppressed walk over it now
    and trample it under their feet.

Lord, you make the path smooth for good people;
    the road they travel is level.
We follow your will and put our hope in you;
    you are all that we desire.
At night I long for you with all my heart;
    when you judge the earth and its people,
    they will all learn what justice is.
10 Even though you are kind to the wicked,
    they never learn to do what is right.
Even here in a land of righteous people
    they still do wrong;
    they refuse to recognize your greatness.
11 (A)Your enemies do not know that you will punish them.
Lord, put them to shame and let them suffer;
    let them suffer the punishment you have prepared.
Show them how much you love your people.

12 You will give us prosperity, Lord;
    everything that we achieve
    is the result of what you do.[a]
13 Lord our God, we have been ruled by others,
    but you alone are our Lord.
14 Now they are dead and will not live again;
    their ghosts will not rise,
    for you have punished them and destroyed them.
No one remembers them any more.
15 Lord, you have made our nation grow,
    enlarging its territory on every side;
    and this has brought you honor.
16 You punished your people, Lord,
    and in anguish they prayed to you.[b]
17 You, Lord, have made us cry out,
    as a woman in labor cries out in pain.
18 We were in pain and agony,
    but we gave birth to nothing.
We have won no victory for our land;
    we have accomplished nothing.[c]

19 Those of our people who have died will live again!
Their bodies will come back to life.
All those sleeping in their graves
    will wake up and sing for joy.
As the sparkling dew refreshes the earth,
    so the Lord will revive those who have long been dead.

Judgment and Restoration

20 Go into your houses, my people, and shut the door behind you. Hide yourselves for a little while until God's anger is over. 21 The Lord is coming from his heavenly dwelling place to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The murders that were secretly committed on the earth will be revealed, and the ground will no longer hide those who have been killed.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 26:12 everything that … do; or you treat us according to what we do.
  2. Isaiah 26:16 Verse 16 in Hebrew is unclear.
  3. Isaiah 26:18 We have won … nothing; Hebrew unclear.

A Song of Praise

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

We have a strong city;(C)
    God makes salvation
    its walls(D) and ramparts.(E)
Open the gates(F)
    that the righteous(G) nation may enter,
    the nation that keeps faith.
You will keep in perfect peace(H)
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust(I) in you.
Trust(J) in the Lord forever,(K)
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock(L) eternal.
He humbles those who dwell on high,
    he lays the lofty city low;
he levels it to the ground(M)
    and casts it down to the dust.(N)
Feet trample(O) it down—
    the feet of the oppressed,(P)
    the footsteps of the poor.(Q)

The path of the righteous is level;(R)
    you, the Upright One,(S) make the way of the righteous smooth.(T)
Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws,[a](U)
    we wait(V) for you;
your name(W) and renown
    are the desire of our hearts.
My soul yearns for you in the night;(X)
    in the morning my spirit longs(Y) for you.
When your judgments(Z) come upon the earth,
    the people of the world learn righteousness.(AA)
10 But when grace is shown to the wicked,(AB)
    they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil(AC)
    and do not regard(AD) the majesty of the Lord.
11 Lord, your hand is lifted high,(AE)
    but they do not see(AF) it.
Let them see your zeal(AG) for your people and be put to shame;(AH)
    let the fire(AI) reserved for your enemies consume them.

12 Lord, you establish peace(AJ) for us;
    all that we have accomplished you have done(AK) for us.
13 Lord our God, other lords(AL) besides you have ruled over us,
    but your name(AM) alone do we honor.(AN)
14 They are now dead,(AO) they live no more;
    their spirits(AP) do not rise.
You punished them and brought them to ruin;(AQ)
    you wiped out all memory of them.(AR)
15 You have enlarged the nation, Lord;
    you have enlarged the nation.(AS)
You have gained glory for yourself;
    you have extended all the borders(AT) of the land.

16 Lord, they came to you in their distress;(AU)
    when you disciplined(AV) them,
    they could barely whisper(AW) a prayer.[b]
17 As a pregnant woman about to give birth(AX)
    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(AY) to wind.
We have not brought salvation(AZ) to the earth,
    and the people of the world have not come to life.(BA)

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

20 Go, my people, enter your rooms
    and shut the doors(BF) behind you;
hide(BG) yourselves for a little while
    until his wrath(BH) has passed by.(BI)
21 See, the Lord is coming(BJ) out of his dwelling(BK)
    to punish(BL) the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will disclose the blood(BM) shed on it;
    the earth will conceal its slain no longer.

Footnotes

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